Auckland Drink Drive-Operation Safe Roads

People driving around Auckland City over the period of Friday evening 5 November through to Sunday morning 7 November were greeted by multiple Police Checkpoints set up to deter and detect drunk drivers.

Auckland Police were assisted by the specialised Traffic Alcohol Group.

Over 21000 drivers were breath tested over the two evenings and early mornings at checkpoints strategically placed around the City and suburbs. Checkpoints ranged from Mission Bay to Glen Innes, Blockhouse Bay to Westmere ,Mt Albert and the Auckland CBD.

Of these drivers a total of 77 people were detected driving with excess breath alcohol.

Auckland City Road Policing Manager Inspector Gavin Macdonald said it was concerning that a number of first time offenders caught driving over the legal limit. A lot of these drivers previously hadn't even received so much as a speeding ticket.

Approximately 2am on Saturday morning two vehicles traveling in convoy and full of intoxicated young people was stopped on an inner city on ramp leading onto the Southern motorway .Their intended destination was Manurewa ,South Auckland.

Both male drivers where well over twice the legal limit which is 400 micrograms of Alcohol per litre of breath) one was also a disqualified driver, he was arrested whilst both vehicles were impounded on the spot.

13 vehicles were impounded and 30 people had their licenses suspended after returning a reading of more than 650 micrograms of Alcohol per litre of breath.

Inspector Macdonald said he wished to thank the majority of Auckland motorists who were driving safe and sober.

He said that the Police focus was on making the roads safe for all road users.
Auckland City, Waitematä and Counties Manukau Police were constantly running Drink Drive Operations at all hours of the day and night, so people should expect to be stopped regularly.

These Operations are only going to intensify in the lead up to Xmas and over the holiday period, People now have plenty of time to think & plan ahead so they can arrange alternative ways of getting home safely rather than driving after they drink.

The Police and the Public alike have had enough of intoxicated driver's irresponsible behaviour putting others lives at risk.

Inspector Macdonald's message to intoxicated drivers was that they could expect to be stopped ANYTIME, ANYWHERE and they would be held accountable and prosecuted.

ENDS

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