Low booze limit fails to dent road toll

When they were introduced, New Zealand’s lower road alcohol limits were promised to make the roads safer.

Yet two years after the breathalcohol limit was cut from 400 micrograms to 250mcg, the road toll is the highest it’s been in years.

The country’s road toll for 2016 provisionally stands at 328.

That’s nine higher than the toll for 2015, the first full year in which the new limit was in place, in which a total 319 people died – the highest total of fatalities since 2010.

A total of 293 and 253 people were killed on New Zealand roads in 2014 and 2013 respectively.

There were also 25 per cent more fatal crashes involving alcohol in 2015 than there were in 2014.

The figures for 2016 aren’t much better. From January 1 until November 25, there were 292 road deaths, up from 279 at the same point in 2015.

There have also been plenty of people caught out under the rules. According to police, 8386 people were caught between the old limit and the new in 2015.

However, some advocates and opponents of the limit say statistics don’t necessarily tell the full story.

Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss said the changes made an impact in other ways. ‘‘Early indications show drivers are responding positively to the change.

‘‘There have been fewer infringements issued to adult drivers breaching the lower limit than we were expecting, and an increase in socially responsible behaviour – calling a taxi, organising a sober driver or drinking non-alcoholic or low-alcohol alternatives.’’

Labour transport spokeswoman Sue Moroney said the drop might be working but, because of other factors, it was hard to say to what extent.

‘‘All the research and evidence said [the lower limits] would have brought down the number of fatalities relating to alcohol use, but that hasn’t occurred.

‘‘The Government has reduced road policing and, at the same time, they have effectively cut funding for maintaining roads, despite a subsequent increase in heavy freight on them,’’ Moroney added.

‘‘That combination is a recipe for disaster, and we’ve seen our road toll go up against a long-term trend of it going down.’’

But the limits have had an impact on drinking in many parts of the country.

Many pubs and bars t have complained about a drop-off in business since the laws kicked in.

The Gladstone Inn, just outside the Wairarapa town of Carterton, had seen a 75 per cent fall in local patronage. ‘‘It’s had a huge impact on the locals,’’ co-owner Ray Wolff said.

Like many other pubs, it had found otherways to attract customers.

‘‘We’ve seen food sales rise, and there’s a lot more low-alcohol beer getting sold,’’ Wolff said.

General manager operations at Hospitality New Zealand Tracy Scott said many businesses took a similar approach.

‘‘It has caused a drop-off in business. However, we’re waiting for everything to drop and adapt to the new normal.

‘‘A lot of it’s looking at ways to be clever and get people out to socialise without having to put that stigma of alcohol on it.’’