One in six rural NSW drivers on drugs:cops

One in six drivers in rural NSW have tested positive for being under the influence of drugs in random testing.

Officers conducted almost 2000 random drug tests in the state's major rural towns over the past six weeks with 314 tests returning positive results.

Newcastle had the highest number of drivers under the influence of drugs, with 152 of 720 tests flagging illicit substances.

Almost half the drivers tested in Orange returned positive readings along with a third of those in both Richmond and Queanbeyan.

Statewide, one in every 13 tests this year has returned a positive result, with 72 per cent of these revealing cannabis use and almost 50 per cent showing the presence of ice.

Roadside drug testing is set to triple to 97,000 by 2017 to combat the problem.