Police are baffled by the fact that people are continuing to drink and drive despite their best efforts. Photo/ File
Police are baffled by the fact that people are continuing to drink and drive despite their best efforts. Photo/ File
Hawke's Bay police are concerned the message is not getting through to road users about the deadly consequences caused by drinking while driving.
Senior Constable Andy Clinton said it is "really disappointing".
"No matter how many campaigns or how many times unfortunately someone is seriously injured or killed as theresult of a drunk driver, people still do it and that strengthens our resolve to make sure that we keep the road safe for the communities because the majority of people don't accept this behaviour," Senior Constable Clinton said.
"We are starting to wonder what else we have to do to try to get this message across. Through the campaigns and being highly visible, people know we are out there.
Recently, the Traffic Alcohol Booze Bus went to Gisborne for the weekend, where they had a total of 19 drunk drivers failing the three stages of testing - passive test, screening test and evidential test.
Of those, they were evenly split between those who received an infringement notice, $200 fine and 50 demerit points for allegedly blowing between 250mcg and 400mcg, while the others were summonsed to court for allegedly blowing more than 400mcg.
Further, they also caught seven disqualified drivers whose cars were impounded for 28 days, as well as other offences for people breaching the graduated drivers licence system, seatbelts, registrations and warrants.
On the way to Gisborne, as they were travelling through Raupunga at 10am in the morning, they stopped a disqualified driver, along with a number of seatbelt and cellphone infringements through Wairoa.
"They see us yet they continue to drink and drive and that not only puts themselves at risk but everyone else at risk and our job is to keep the road safe for our community and that is what we will continue to do as soon as the message starts to get through, as simple as that," Mr Clinton said.
He warned that if people are going to drink and get behind the wheel, they will stop them and prosecute them - "as simple as that".
"We will just keep going out and getting the message across that it is not acceptable and hold those people to account".
