32 DRINK DRIVERS OVER THREE NIGHTS
Northland had more than 1200 drink-driving offences last year
Northlanders caught drinkdriving coughed up more than $60,000 into the Government’s piggy bank last year. A week ago police checkpoints to nab impaired motorists netted 32 drink-drivers in Whanga¯rei alone.
And Northland officers have warned motorists to expect more of these leading to Easter Weekend.
“These checkpoints can be anywhere, anytime. Remember — if you’re drinking, don’t drive,” a police spokesman said.
In 2020 there were more than 1200 offences involving people driving under the influence of alcohol in Northland, resulting in more than $60,000 of fines handed down.
Whanga¯rei/Kaipara recorded the highest number of offences with 680 and there were 569 in the Far North.
The fees collected from these infringement notices and offence proceedings are transferred into the country’s piggy bank — Government’s Consolidated Fund.
Around 67 of the offences related to drivers under the age of 20 who have a zero alcohol limit.
Approximately 300 offences were under the lowered adult alcohol limit. The 2014 law change lowered the blood alcohol limit from 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood to 50mg with the breath alcohol limit also cut from 400mcg
to 250mcg.
In Northland 3532 people have been charged with drink-driving three or more times in the last 10 years.
Road policing staff stopped around 900 vehicles across multiple checkpoints that covered a large area of the district last Thursday to Saturday night.
“Checkpoints are designed to target road policing risks such as, but not limited to, impairment at times and locations we know are at a higher risk,” a police spokesman said.
Northland road policing head Senior Sergeant Steve Dickson said it was up to everyone — not just police — to keep Northland roads safe.
He said people needed to stop others who were intoxicated or impaired from getting behind the wheel.
A small gesture that could have a big difference were for people to make sure their guests had a safe ride home or a bed to stay the night.
Drink-driving is one of the major causes of road deaths in New Zealand and Northland has a high rate of repeat drink-drivers.
These checkpoints can be anywhere, anytime. Remember — if you’re drinking, don’t drive Police spokesman