Qld police to ramp up roadside drug tests

One in four drivers tested for drugs in Queensland are returning positive results, police say.

Cannabis is typically the drug of choice and on New Year's Eve police caught just as many drug drivers as drink drivers.

Police conducted 33,000 roadside drug tests in 2015 and plan to ramp that up this year amid concerns about the number of motorists driving under the influence.

Over the Christmas period alone, more than 320 drug drivers were arrested, including 61 on New Year's Eve.

Road Policing Command Assistant Commissioner Michael Keating says about one in four tests returns positive results.

"We are testing more people in more places, more often," he said.

"The major substance that we're still seeing is cannabis."

Mr Keating said Queensland Police were planning to test around 50,000 motorists for drugs in 2016.

There are now 300 officers trained to conduct the tests, up from 50 at the start of last year.