Wednesday, 28 July 2010
A SCHOOL bus driver alleged to have driven under the influence of drugs has been prosecuted.
The 32-year-old Otakiri woman will appear in the Whakatane District Court tomorrow to face a charge of driving a transport service vehicle under the influence of a qualifying drug.
The woman was stopped on Caverhill Road at Manawahe in May, after police responded to a tip-off from a member of the public that she had allegedly smoked cannabis before driving.
The incident happened just before 3.30pm after the driver had already dropped children from Manawahe School home and had picked up students from Matata.
She underwent a drug-impaired driving test, which she failed. A subsequent blood sample contained evidence of the use of a “qualifying drug”.
Under the Land Transport Act, qualifying drugs included controlled drugs specified in the Misuse of Drugs Act and prescription medicines from a list of specified drugs.
The driver, who worked for Uzabus, was stood down immediately following the incident pending investigations by the company and the police. According to a company spokesman, she resigned soon afterwards. Driving while impaired and with blood containing evidence of a qualifying drug is a recent amendment to the Land Transport Act.
If convicted, the maximum penalty is up to three months in prison or a fine of up to $4500 and compulsory disqualification from driving for six months or more.
The period of disqualification is increased in cases where the convicted person is driving a vehicle used to transport others.