New figures from Victoria Police show methylamphetamine has become the drug of choice of drivers who impair their driving ability with mind-altering substances.
Of the 8426 drug driving detections in the last financial year, just over 75% were for methylamphetamine.
This included 17% which showed not only methylamphetamine but also THC, which is the psychoactive component of cannabis, or MDMA.
A small number of drivers – 40 – had all three illicit drugs in their system.
Investigation of collisions between cars and bikes regularly discovers evidence of drug use by the driver.
Methylamphetamine, also known as ice or speed, is known to seriously impair driver behaviour, resulting in aggressive risk-taking and inattention.
Police say that are responding to the threat by regularly deploying highway patrol cars to side streets to catch drug drivers thinking they can outsmart the law.
Superintendent Justin Goldsmith, Road Policing Command, said drug drivers who think they can outsmart police should think again.
"We're out anywhere, anytime testing for drugs”, he said.
"Every highway patrol car is a drug bus which means there's nowhere to hide.
"That includes side streets, where we tactically deploy to catch out motorists actively trying to avoid police.”
The penalties for getting behind the wheel on drugs are severe.
Even first-time offenders will be fined $593 and have their licence or learner permit suspended for six months.
Police also have the power to impound your vehicle for drug driving offences.
Victoria Police conducts 150,000 roadside drug tests a year.
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