Counties Manukau Police are looking forward to another safe weekend on the roads in the District following a successful Compulsory Breath Test operation last weekend where only 0.45% of drivers will be heading to court with excess breath alcohol charges.
Units from Road Policing in Counties Manukau and the Traffic Alcohol Group were stationed throughout the District conducting excess breath alcohol checkpoints. On the two nights over 5,100 drivers were breath tested and only 23 were found to have excess breath alcohol.
“This is a great result for the District,” says Counties Manukau Police District Commander Superintendent John Tims. “We want to make it known that drivers can find a Police checkpoint at any time and in any place and everyone should expect to be breath tested. We hope that finding only 23 drivers over the limit out of over 5,000 tested means that the message is getting through and people are taking responsibilty to ensure they are driving safely on our roads.”
Police hope the trend of finding few drunk drivers will continue as they continue with random compulsory breath test checkpoints leading up to Easter.
“Road safety is everyone’s responsibility and everyone who is having a drink this weekend should plan ahead to make sure they have a safe way of getting home, even if it is just around the corner. Never get into a car with a driver who you suspect has had too much to drink. Call a taxi or a sober friend.
“Unfortunately 23 people caught over the limit is still 23 dangerous drivers who should not have been on the road. The highest reading we took in the weekend was over 1400mg alcohol per litre of breath. We hope not to see this repeated this weekend,” says Superintendent Tims.
ENDS
Issued by Kimberley Mathews/Communications Manager, Counties Manukau Police
021 192 0717