Dunedin Police are pleased with the results from a recent checkpoint in the city.
On Friday 14 June, from 6:20pm - 8:20pm the Dunedin Road Policing group with the assistance of colleagues from police workgroups conducted an impairment checkpoint at Kaikorai Valley Road.
During this period 379 drivers were checked for alcohol. Of this total, 30 drivers were found to have consumed alcohol but only one of the drivers was over the legal driving limit of 250mcgs.
The driver recorded a limit of 346mcgs and was issued an infringement for driving with breath alcohol exceeding 250mcgs but not more than 400 mcgs. They then got 50 Demerits and a $200 fine, Steve Wykes Acting Sergeant Dunedin Road Policing says.
"I am really pleased to say that during our checkpoint, we were extremely happy with how responsible the drivers were that were tested. Only one was found to be over the limit,” he says.
Dunedin Police wish to thank the drivers for being responsible with their after work drinks.
"This is really pleasing to see, it’s worth thanking the public for them doing the right thing. We appreciate how responsible they are being as the results clearly show in our testing," said Acting Sergeant Wykes.
It’s also worth noting that as we move into winter, we have to be even more careful, the weather conditions become very changeable and there are more hazards on the road to be cautious of, and being impaired in these winter conditions is even worse.
If you’re planning to head to the ski-fields and you are not experienced driving alpine routes or in winter conditions, do your homework and plan ahead. Watch out for black ice after a frost, it makes the road slick and can contribute to handling errors – especially heading up through Central Otago towards the ski-fields.
The grit applied to icy roads in some locations can also contribute to vehicle handling difficulties if people drive too fast for the road conditions.
Also, Dunedin is not immune to fog, rain and snow and these things can dramatically reduce visibility. In the fog make sure you slow down, keep to the left and keep your lights on low beam, he says.
Above all else, our message to road users is simple – travel safely. Ko te whāinga matua, Ki te haumaru tātou, ka ora tätou.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre