"Don't drink and drive, it's that simple."
Sergeant Pat Duffy has a clear message for anyone on the road this holiday season, saying that the change to lower alcohol limits for drivers, combined with the new technology on booze buses around the country, "it just isn't worth the risk".
While the change in limits sees a drop from 400mcg (80mg/100ml of blood) of alcohol per litre of breath to 250mcg (50mg/100ml of blood) for drivers aged 20 and over, the booze bus biometrics will target drivers who try to give false names when pulled over for breath testing.
"If we are intending to charge someone with an offence, then we need to know who they are. People sometimes think they can be clever, they give us the name of a brother or cousin, someone they know well enough to be able to give details like date of birth."
Previously, says Sergeant Duffy, this has led to police time being wasted. "If we want to charge someone, then we need to know who they are. If they have given false details then we charge that person, but then have to find out who they really are, and that takes time and costs money."
The new biometrics enable police to electronically take fingerprints and digital photos to immediately confirm the identity of people they are planning to charge. "It is so fast, it takes less than a minute to get the results back, so we can quickly establish someone's identity on the scene."
Sergeant Duffy adds that the most people don't need to worry. "Normally, people have their licence with them and they tell us the truth. This targets those who may have something to hide, who would try to give us a false name because they are disqualified or wanted for something."
Sergeant Duffy is pleased with the introduction of the lower driving alcohol limits.
"I would like to see people choose not to drink at all if they are going to drive, it is always the safer option."
The changes to the law, combined with the biometrics on the booze buses around the country, "make it easier for us to achieve safer roads", he says, adding that the booze bus will "certainly be spending time in Stratford over the holidays as well, as all around the Taranaki region".