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One in 10 admit to driving under the influence

A new survey has revealed that more than 9 per cent of SA motorists drink drive.

Lives are being put at risk on South Australian roads by almost one in 10 motorists who admit to driving under the influence of alcohol.

As authorities battle a spike in road deaths, a new survey has revealed that more than 9 per cent of SA motorists drink drive and 45 per cent exceed the speed limit by at least 10km/h. The state's road toll hit 108 last year and 12 people have died on the roads this year.

More than 9 per cent of South Australian and 7.7 of Australian motorists who participated in a national survey for the Productivity Commission admitted to drink driving in the past six months.

More than 60 per cent of South Australians believed that speeding or dangerous or noisy driving was a problem in their local area.

But South Australian drivers were less likely than people in other states to speed. More than 54 per cent of Australian drivers had exceeded the posted speed limit by more than 10km in the previous six months, according to the survey conducted as part of a regular Review of Government Services in Australia.

Less than 46 per cent of SA drivers admitted to speeding, while almost 7 per cent had travelled in a car without a seatbelt. More than 60 per cent of South Australians believed that speeding or dangerous or noisy driving was a problem in their local area. Almost one third identified illegal drugs were a problem in their area.

SA Police told the commission that they were determined to do more to crack down on dangerous driving. "Improving road safety outcomes continued to be a high priority and SAPOL remains committed to working together with the public, government and private organisations to reduce the suffering caused by road trauma," SAPOL said a response to the report.

The Productivity Commission's review of state justice systems reveals more criminal repeat offenders are being sent back to jail as a result of tougher parole laws. The number of former prisoners sent back to jail within two years of release hit 38 per cent in 2013/14.

Before parole laws were tightened in 2012, the annual reimprisonment rate had been about 29 per cent. The state's prisoner population surged from about 1900 to more than 2,400 between 2009-10 and 2013/14.

Taxpayers spent about $260 per prisoner, per day, on the prison system. Despite the increase in the number of criminals being sent to jail, SA still has the lowest reincarceration rate in the nation.

The justice report also shows that SA has one of the most trusted police forces in Australia. Almost 89 per cent of SA survey respondents agreed that police were "professional" and more than 78 per cent believed police were "honest".