Drink driving not just a transport issue

Drink driving is a problem that goes beyond just transport and the Ministry of Transport welcomes opportunities to work with other organisations and the community to tackle the problem of drink driving.

Drink driving is not just a transport issue. As well as government, the wider community has a role to play in reducing the impacts of alcohol harm on road safety, says the Ministry of Transport at the Alcohol Advisory Council’s (ALAC) working Together Conference in Wellington today.

We take this issue extremely seriously. Provisional data suggests that alcohol was a factor in 34% of the deaths on New Zealand roads last year. The Ministry is constantly reviewing the best way to address this issue and is pleased to have this opportunity to work with other organisations.

Alcohol interlock devices attached to vehicles are one of the measures the Ministry is investigating. Alcohol interlock devices use a breathalyzer installed on a dashboard and connected to the ignition. The driver must take a breath test before starting the car and faces random tests during the journey. If they fail the initial test the car will not start.

The Ministry is also interested in the wider use of educational courses and alcohol assessments. Under the current law alcohol assessments are only compulsory after a third conviction.

Every year in New Zealand approximately 130 people will die in a crash caused by a drink driver, and a further 2,000 will be injured. There were on average 30,000 drink driving convictions every year, and around 65 percent of these would be first time offenders.

The message that drink driving is dangerous and unacceptable does not appear to be getting through to some individuals and communities, and it is important that we look at all our options in tackling this problem.