Statistics drawn from drink-drive conviction records and presented at a public lecture in Dunedin last week by Prof Geoff Hall show a disturbing trend.
In 1986, female drink-driving was 9% of all such offending; in 1996 it was 18%, and last year 23%, which Prof Hall described as a "significant shift".
He also noted that not one of the drink-drive advertisements on television target women, yet further analysis of the statistics makes this omission even more inexplicable.
The two age groups which figure prominently among women drink-drivers are 17-19 year-olds, and those over 40.
Of the latter category, "the 1996-2006 figures show a staggering 82% increase in drink-drive convictions for women of this age," reported Prof Hall.
"Convictions for men in the same group have increased by 13.45%."
Prof Hall believes we are at a crossroads in dealing effectively with the alcohol-impaired driver, and few who study the statistics and the effects of various punishment regimes, the long advertising campaign against drink-driving, the changing social attitudes towards alcohol abuse, would disagree.
While there can be little argument about the need to protect the community by imprisoning recidivist drink-drivers who will not or cannot change their ways, education and deterrence are the chief weapons for all other offenders and potential offenders.
The question is, though, whether current programmes are sufficiently effective in circumstances of rapidly changing social trends.
Clearly, the growth in female offending needs particular attention, since the two age groups so dominant in the statistics are largely ignored by education programmes.
While it may be obvious why teenage girls are abusing alcohol (we cite the lowered drinking age, the popularity of alcohol-based "pop" drinks, and peer pressure), explaining why so many middle-aged women are succumbing to alcohol abuse and then driving may not be so obvious.
Prof Hall posited the thought that "many drivers are drink-drivers through ignorance rather than simply irresponsibility", and suggested more information on the actual alcohol content of drinks popular with women should be made readily available.
To which we would add a need for compulsory medical assessments of all offenders for dependence on alcohol and, where required, attendance for treatment as part of a sentence.
The National Party's crime policy goes some distance along this path by promising to give courts the power to refer young offenders to compulsory drug and alcohol rehabilitation programmes, but the policy needs to be universal.
Limiting access to alcohol by younger people certainly needs revisiting, but other options, such as raising taxes on low-priced drinks, should also be seriously considered since research shows much heavy teenage drinking is focused on this segment.
Prof Hall noted both Germany and Australia had made moves along these lines.
Increasing random breath-testing is an obvious and necessary response and police legislation currently before Parliament broadening the tasks that can be carried out by non-sworn officers is an opportunity to do this, especially since road safety surveys show that less than 50% of drivers believe it is likely they will be stopped at a checkpoint, the lowest level since 1999.
Wider use of the mandatory licence suspension and confiscation of vehicles is called for.
Prof Hall suggested the use of ignition locking devices, which prevent drinking drivers from operating their cars, as part of sentencing regimes, and this sanction - which is used in several countries - is already under study by the police.
He also contributed an idea that has not had widespread debate but looks to have extremely promising possibilities: the wheel-clamping of vehicles of offenders as an alternative to confiscation.
Prof Hall suggested vehicles could be clamped at the owner's home, in their garage, backyard or on the street outside their home - in short, in full view of the public, providing "a daily reminder of their crime".
Drink-driving is, after all, a crime against the community.
The anti-smoking campaign over the past 40 years has, finally, begun to produce significant community economic and health benefits.
Similarly, the 20-year publicity campaign that has seen heavy drinking and driving become socially unacceptable now needs to be extended to incorporate the effects of moderate drinking, and focused on both men and women, so that our roads are safer for everyone to use.
