Checkpoints on again after week-end toll

Press, 7 April 1987, Page 1

Checkpoints on again after week-end toll

By

NEIL CLARKSON

Drink-driving checkpoints are on again in Christchurch after the region’s grim road toll last week-end. Night-shift traffic officers will conduct checkpoints in and around the city at least until the end of the Easter break. • “People can expect to see checkpoints in place any time after the evening peak,” said Christchurch’s Chief Traffic Officer, Mr Ray Hall.

Mr Hall said the checkpoints, which were to begin last evening, were a result of the bad weekend tally of deaths and injuries. “It was a bad week-end performance.”

Mr Hall said he made the decision after looking at the week-end’s statistics: Two people died within the city limits and 25 people were injured in 20 other accidents. As well, two women died in an accident at Rolleston and a man died in a head-on collision north of Kaikoura. Traffic officers attended 19 non-injury accidents in the city. “In addition to the high level of accidents, they were in touch with far more alcohol-impaired drivers than normal,” said Mr Hall. Officers had dealt with 36 alcohol-affected drivers.

“We have got a plan for Easter because in New Zealand we do not do too

well over that period. “We are going to see what we can do to at least suppress the death toll,” he said.

“Over the Easter period we expect the Christchurch urban area will be pretty quiet. “I am going to deploy some of my city staff on the State highways.”

Drivers should not be surprised to find checkpoints on the open road,

Attention would also be paid to highway speed, which the authorities believed contributed to Easter road deaths. Mr Hall said the Ministry of Transport ran a checkpoint in Riccarton Avenue last week to “check the water.”

“The apprehension rate was higher than I would

have wished. It was not dissimilar to what it was like before Christmas.”

He said the apprehension rate before Christmas was quite high when the checks began, dropping off as their effectiveness became widely known. The checkpoints will not mean more traffic officers on the night shift -

“I just don't have them,” he said. Last evening 130 cars were stopped by checkpoint officers in Christchurch. No breath tests were administered and a spokesman for the Ministry of Transport said there had been a good response from the public and no problems from drivers.

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