Chch drivers face drinking charges —warnings ‘ignored’

Press, 17 July 1978, Page 1

Chch drivers face drinking charges —warnings ‘ignored’

Saturday night was a night to remember in Christchurch—for drinkers, traffic officers, and taxi firms.

On the preceding three Saturday nights an average of three Christchurch drivers were required to take blood tests after showing a positive breath test.

This Saturday night’ however; 53 motorists were stopped in Christchurch and asked to take tests.

Thirty-five tests were positive and the drivers were taken to the Ministry of Transport headquarters in Christchurch to take a blood test.

Senior Chief Traffic Officer E. E. Dunlop said that in view of the publicity given to the blitz it was disappointing that so many Christchurch motorists had chosen to disregard the warning.

The increase in the num. her of traffic officers on duty meant that the chances of an offender being apprehended were greatly increased, he said. “If people like to persist in ignoring warnings. I suppose that is their business,” he said. Christchurch ran contrary to the national pattern. In other places drivers seemed to take much more notice of blitz warnings.

Eleven persons were required to give blood specimens by Auckland City Council traffic officers — well down on the average

Saturday night totals, which are generally double that.

Traffic authorities in Auckland were elated at the success of the campaign, and the apparent trend away from drinking by motorists.

Senior-Sergeant W. Caldwell, of the Auckland City Traffic Department, said it was one of the quietest week-ends he could remember in the last five years. Taxi companies reported a noticeable increase in business.

St John ambulances attended only five accidents, and in only three did people need to be taken to hospital, all with only minor injuries. Dunedin had a normal Saturday night for the apprehension of drinking drivers, but taxi firms were extremely busy as well.

Three blood samples were taken, and four sets of keys removed. One Dunedin taxi firm had almost its entire fleet on the road on Saturday night.

There was a noticeable increase in the number of calls to private parties. Delays were up to half an hour.

There were 56 officers on duty in Christchurch, but some of these were at headquarters and most of

those in patrol cars worked in pairs. •

Several officers at the Ministry’s headquarters in Montreal Street worked 13A hours, having begun work at 3 p.m. on Saturday and not finishing until 4.30 a.m. yesterday. The Blue Star taxi company said that Saturday night was the busiest for several months.

A spokesman for Gold Band said that many going to private functions chose to go and return by taxi. Business was up a third from normal Saturday nights.

Spokesmen for five of the biggest hotels in Christchurch said that business was normal for the weather and the time of year. In Nelson, half the staff of the Ministry of Transport apprehended about double the usual number of drinking drivers at the week-end. The week-end staff was split on Saturday night — three officers went into the country and three remained in Nelson. Those in Nelson apprehended six drivers. Because of staff holidays and other commitments, the department at Nelson was not able to put a full force into the field this week-end. This will be remedied next week-end

when double the normal number of week-end staff will be on duty. The officers on duty in the country — they went as far as Murchison — reported very little traffic. Driver behaviour seemed to have improved 99 per cent, said the Ministry. Seat belts were done up and speed kept down. Most of those apprehended had been approached either because of a defect in the vehicle or the driver failing to have his seat-belt fastened.

Seventy-two motorists were stopped by Ministry of Transport officers in Ashburton from midnight on Friday until „ Sunday morning. Six officers were on duty during the week-end. Sergeant L. J. Tooman said he was pleased with the results of the blitz. Speeds throughout Ashburton and Tinwald were down.

Blood samples were taken from two drivers, and one person was arrested for failing to accompany an officer to the police station. Two negative breath tests were also taken.

Taxi companies profited. One driver said that patronage was up nearly 100 per cent, and the three drivers on duty were kept busy all week-end.