Getting the Drink Drive Message?

in General Motorways by AKT — December 19, 2010 at 4:02 pm | 0 comments

Are people finally getting the drink and drive message?

The weekend’s police liquor crackdown gives some hope. Less than 1% of drivers tested, tested positive.

Figures provided by the police show:

• 2,629 people were breath tested by mobile patrols
• 37,504 motorists were stopped and breath tested at checkpoints
• 263 screened positive for the breath test (less than 1 percent of the drivers tested)
• 53 blood samples were administered that could result in court action
• 212 miscellaneous offences were detected at checkpoints
• 2721 brief intervention resource packs were handed out challenging people’s drinking behaviour and offering 0800 help lines to call for those folk who realise they or people close to them have a drinking problem.
• 135 arrests were made for a variety of offences - this is expected to increase once further data becomes known over the next few days.
• 623 hotel compliance checks were made
• 48 breaches of the Sale of Liquor Act were detected - these will result in applications to the Liquor Licensing Authority for suspension, cancellation or a variation of licence and hours.
• 49 Breach of Liquor Ban arrests were made
• 216 people were warned for breaching liquor bans
• 6x $200 instant fine liquor infringement notices were issued
• 15 minors were warned regarding under - aged drinking.
• 262 controlled purchase operations run.
• 195 at off licence premises and 67 at on licence premises.  19 outlets were caught breaching this licensing condition and will face further action.(less than 10% of premises checked).

The highest drink driving result recorded during the evening was in the Waikato in which a recidivist drink driver blew 1290mg per litre of breath.

Party Buses were targeted by Canterbury Police commercial vehicle investigation unit staff. And in the same city, two people caught with excess breath alcohol were already on bail for similar charges.  The highest reading for Canterbury was 1110mg
by a driver already suspended for 28 days due to excess breath alcohol.

In Canterbury the Central Police station watch house nurse also made two referrals to the Alcohol Helpline free phone number for follow up.

Nelson Police found one 14-year-old driving by himself; and issued 12 warnings for breaches of the liquor ban.  These were all to tourists or to foreign fishermen from a boat docked in the port.  The highest EBA was 740 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath on the West Coast.

In Rotorua, alcohol fuelled disorder resulted in 5 arrests.  The highest breath test recorded by 1129mg.  Fines enforcement staff from court working alongside police at checkpoint operations confiscated two vehicles and NZTA staff ‘green stickered’ 14 vehicles in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

One premises suspended for previously trading outside its trading hours was caught again - just three months after the last check.

Tags: drink driving police