交通總部總警司Steve Verralls為我們介紹《2011年道路交通（修訂）條例》第364章所規定的藥後駕駛測試。
法例的修訂了原來“道路交通條例”的第39條，訂明在任何藥物或酒精影響下駕駛達到沒有能力妥當地控制汽車程度，即屬犯罪，同時更加嚴格禁止服食毒品後駕駛（修訂條文主要從第39J條到第39U條），其中主要包括以下內容：

  1. 如指定非法藥物，包括：海洛英、氯胺酮（俗稱「K仔」）、甲基安非他明（俗稱「冰」）、大麻、可卡因，以及３,４－亞甲二氧基甲基安非他明（俗稱「搖頭丸」）。
  2. 其他特定的可能影響駕駛的非法定藥物，包括治療咳嗽或感冒、抑鬱症、精神病、癲癇症、柏金遜症和所有緩解疼痛的藥物。
  3. 其他可能會影響駕駛的藥物。

第39B條及第39C條規定用呼氣測試來確定一個人血液中酒精或藥物含量的數值來確定量刑，如司機在沒有正當理由的情況下拒絕提供所需樣本進行化驗分析，即屬違法。
第39條提到，有大概兩百名警務人員接受適當的初步藥物測試訓練並獲警務處處長授權負責毒駕與藥駕的執法職務，他們有權要求懷疑毒駕或藥駕的人士進行初步藥物測試（識認藥物影響觀測、損害測試及／或快速口腔液測試）。
減值測試中具體包括的五個測試為：
  1. 眼科測試,包括瞳孔檢查和凝視眼球震顫測試;
  2. 經改良的伯格平衡測試，測試一個人的生物鐘和平衡能力；
  3. 行走和轉向測試,測試一個人對行走,平衡,和接收指令時的注意力;
  4. 單腳站立測試，測試一個人的身體協調性，平衡性及是否能大聲讀出指定內容；
  5. 指鼻測試，測試一個人的認知和平衡感以及處理指令的能力。

新條例將於2012年3月15日開始實施。
Steve亦為我們總結了發生下列情況時，員警有權要求嫌疑人接受初步藥物測試：
  1. 該司機涉及交通意外；
  2. 該司機行車時干犯交通罪行，例如衝紅燈；
  3. 警務人員懷疑該司機在藥物的影響下駕駛。

Drug Driving Test

Chief Superintendant Steve Verralls of Traffic Branch Headquarters presented the Drug Driving test to us by introducing amendments made to the Traffic Offences ordinance (cap 374) in 2011.

The legislation was amended to include the provision of driving under the influence of drugs. Section 39 of the Road Traffic Ordinance has been repealed to make it an offence to drive or attempt to drive a motor vehicle on any road whilst under the influence of drink or drugs to an extent that the driver is incapable of having proper control of the motor vehicle.  In summary the concentration of specified illicit drugs are strictly prohibited under (Sections 39J to 39U) and these include:-

  1. Specified illicit drugs such as heroine, methamphetamine (Ice) , ketamine, cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy (3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine);
  2. Other specific illicit drugs which may affect driving e.g. drugs for the purposes of  relieving a cough or a cold, depression, a mental illness, seizures, Parkinson’s disease and drugs for all other pain relief; and
  3. Drugs that may influence driving;

Section 39B and section 39C govern the requirement of screening breath tests to determine the concentration of alcohol or drugs in one’s blood and it is an offence if one fails to undergo these tests without excuse or if one fails to provide a sufficient specimen blood/blood specimen to carry out analysis without excuse.

Under Section 39N a police officer, being a qualified inspector/ sergeant may require a person to undergo a Rapid Oral Fluid Test, Drug Influence Recognition Observation or Impairment Test. In this respect there are around two hundred qualified, “authorised police officers” to do these tests on suspects.

For the purposes of the Impairment Test there are five specific tests as follows:-

“(a) Eye Examination Test, consisting of pupillary examination and Gaze Nystagmus examination;
(b)    Modified Romberg Balance Test, an indicator of a person’s internal body clock and ability to balance;
(c)   Walk and Turn Test, to test a person’s ability to divide attention between walking,      balancing and processing instructions;
(d)   One Leg Stand Test, to test a person’s bodily coordination, balancing and ability to count out loud according to instructions; and
(e)   Finger to Nose Test, to test a person’s depth of perception and ability to balance and process instructions.”

The new law will be effective from 15th March 2012.

Steve concluded that a suspect is required to do the Impairment Test under any one of the following conditions:-

1) Being involved in an accident;
2) Moving offense, e.g., exceeding traffic light; and
3) Suspected to have committed a traffic offence.

 
      In conclusion, whilst we are guaranteed with the freedom of speech, and movements in  law, we are also obliged to be careful of our own words and deeds towards others. There is always a      line to be drawn and interest to be balanced.