Drink-drivers be warned - Southern police will be out in
force tomorrow in a breath-testing blitz.
Extra staff have been rostered on to carry out compulsory
breath test stops throughout the region from midday tomorrow
through to the early hours of Saturday morning.
"It's tragic that at this time of year there will be a number
of people killed on our roads as a result of drink driving,
and it could be a member of your family and friends," said
Acting Southern District Road Policing Manager, Snr Sgt Steve
Larking.
"If you are out and about socialising at Christmas functions
make it a priority to get home safely - either by organising
some one to pick you up, having a sober driver, or catching a
taxi," he said.
In Dunedin, Operation Expect More Testing continues will
focus on reducing drink driving in urban areas through mass
testing as many drivers as possible at highly visible
checkpoints.
"We want to make sure that our message gets out there to
every driver in the city, with no exceptions," said Dunedin
Emergency Response Commander, Inspector Alastair Dickie.
Inspector Dickie said police will be extending this
enforcement and educational effort throughout the day with
strategic traffic, and outstation and emergency response
staff conducting checkpoints throughout the city.
"While most New Zealanders drive safely, do not speed and do
not drink and drive, we want to ensure that those who insist
on endangering the rest of us are detected," he said.
To date in 2009 there have been 23 fatal crashes and 27
people have died on Southern roads this year, compared with a
total of 30 fatal crashes resulting in 33 people dying in
2008. A number of these crashes and the resulting injuries
had alcohol as a driver factor.
