Two-pronged attack on drink-driving

Press, 5 December 1985, Page 2

Two-pronged attack on drink-driving

The Ministry of Transport has launched a two-pronged Christmas-New Year attack on drinking and driving. The dual approach to the menace combines a step-up in random stopping of vehicles and an intense publicity effort to drive home the dangers. The Ministry’s chief traffic officer in Christchurch, Mr Barry Thackwell, said, “We will be strictly enforcing the campaign here. Extra staff will be brought in on selected nights for random stopping. “We are well aware of the problems of drinking and driving at this time of year,” he said, “but we hope people will be aware of the increasing accident rate, a lot of which is related to drinking and driving and speed combined.”

Traffic officers knew that many drivers were not wearing safety belts and that frequently this was an indication that the driver had been drinking, said Mr Thapkwpll Since the campaign began on November 28 a “fair number” of drinking drivers had been apprehended already in Christchurch, he said. Traditionally the number of drinking and driving offences is up at this time of the year. “We don’t tell people not to drink and drive,” said Mr Thackwell. “What we say is, don’t drink in excess and then drive.” People invariably had good intentions of not drinking more than the legal limit when they went to hotels or parties, but too

often those good intentions gave way to social pressure, he said. Last year motor accidents involving alcohol killed more than 300 New Zealanders and injured another 5000. In fact, half the total number of accidents involved alcohol. This year’s campaign emphasises that “it’s a crime” to let irresponsible drinking and driving continue. The advertising will run in three stages: The cost of alcohol-impaired driving, the “black and white” facts of drinking and driving, and ways people can help alcohol-impaired drivers off the roads. The Ministry wants motorists to know that excessive drinking and driving leads to injury and financial penalties — and often death.