Drug Driving Protest is Personal

The Dominion Post

A Wellington woman waging war on drugged drivers is hoping to move the focus of road safety to more than just alcohol and speed. Kiwi Battler competition finalist Rachael Ford set up road safety group Candor Trust in 2005 after her mother, Mary Radley, was killed in a crash with a drugged driver near Picton in August 2004. "My mother's death was avoidable," she said. "And things could have been a lot worse – the other driver had his toddlers in the car."
The driver, Luke Voice, admitted driving under the influence of methadone and insomnia drug Triazolam, and causing death. He was sentenced to two years and seven months in prison.

The Kiwi Battler competition, set up by Gareth and Joanne Morgan, recognises individuals who fight against the odds to give back to their communities. Ms Ford said the biggest battle she faced was apathy. "People don't understand there doesn't have to be carnage on the roads.There's this belief in New Zealand that things can't change, and accidents will happen ... [we have] such a high acceptance of violence." And the Government's mindset needed to change just as much as the public's did, she said.

Candor Trust had made some gains in raising awareness of drugged driving, but had not yet got the legal and policing advances needed. The trust is seeking a royal commission of inquiry into road safety. "New Zealand has an experimental and absurd [road safety] policy that's globally unique in the way speed and alcohol are the only permitted major focuses."
Random roadside drug-testing also needed to improve, she said. "[The test] is useless. You only have to watch programmes like Police Ten 7 to see how it's not working. "To fail, you have to be as impaired as someone twice over the alcohol limit."  She said New Zealand was the only country in the developed world without a major drug-driving campaign.
"I'm going to be protesting [to raise drugged driving awareness] in a couple of weeks – which might sabotage my chances of winning the Kiwi Battler competition if I get arrested!"

Previously a psychiatric nurse, Ms Ford now spends most of her time on Candor Trust. Part-time work and a dog-boarding business pays her bills, and Candor Trust is funded mainly by donations. Previous attempts to get grants from gaming trusts and societies had been declined, Ms Ford said. "We work off the smell of an oily rag because we don't like taking donations from victims ... but that's OK. This issue doesn't need money, it just needs activism and lobbying. "That's why if I win, I will nominate another group to get the money instead."

The lucky charity, which will receive $30,000 if Ms Ford wins the national award, is SkyLight Trust, a non-profit organisation that provides support for people affected by trauma. Giving a voice to victims was Candor Trust's biggest achievement, she said. "Many people say it's the law change. But to me, it's about validating this as a real issue so victims have somewhere to come and get support."

She said getting through to people was what kept her going. 

To vote, go to:www.kiwibattler.com/vote