Six months of roadside drug testing reveals 3.3% positive rate across New Zealand
Police data shows 4,145 drivers were tested in the first six months of the roadside drug testing programme, with methamphetamine emerging as the most frequently detected drug.
New Zealand's roadside drug testing programme, which began in December 2025 and expanded nationwide by July 2026, tested 4,145 drivers in its first six months. Of these, 136 returned positive first screening results, representing a 3.3% positivity rate. Methamphetamine and MDMA were the most commonly detected drugs at roadside screening, while cannabis was detected less frequently despite being widely considered the most commonly used illicit drug in the country. A total of 102 infringement notices were issued for positive drug tests, with additional penalties for drivers who refused testing or to provide saliva samples for laboratory analysis.
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Revealed: Six months of roadside drug testing in New Zealand, by the numbers
Where it’s happening, how many drivers have tested positive, what drugs have been detected and more, provided to The Spinoff under the Official Information Act. Roadside drug testing kicked off in Aotearoa in December 2025, initially just for drivers in…