Constable Jason Ingram checks a driver at a police checkpoint and Booze Bus on SH2, Clive. Photo / Duncan Brown
Since October, the Eastern District's Traffic Alcohol Group (TAG) has increased resources and messaging in an attempt to make the road safe and reach as many localities as possible.
The group has been working from Waipukurau to Tolaga Bay and Gisborne.
On Thursday night the police were out in force in Clive along with support from Road Safe Hawke's Bay and within two hours a queue of people were waiting to be tested on the Traffic Alcohol Booze Bus, after failing the first "passive test".
One, a disconsolate figure was on the phone after a life-changing incident.
Just moments before, a police chase had led to the driver blowing an alcohol reading of 383mcg per litre of breath, 133mcg over the limit.
The car had sped across the Clive bridge before slowing down and entering a nearby driveway, only to resurface minutes later, with lights off, travelling in the direction it had come from.
Little did that driver know, the watchful eyes of at least three police officers were tracking every move and not long after, the red and blue lights had caught up with the indefinitely disqualified driver outside the BP on Main Rd.
Close to 8.30pm on Thursday, the Traffic Alcohol Booze Bus was set up in Clive on one of the main arterial routes between Napier and Hastings and waved hundreds of cars through.
Earlier in the evening, Hawke's Bay Police Sergeant, Steve Murray had asked what can you do.
"How do we get it through to them?
"The disappointing thing is that people are still prepared to drink and drive and risk an infringement notice."
He claims that it is 50/50, with people blowing between 250mcg to 400mcg, receiving an infringement notice, with a $200 fine and 50 demerit points.
While others are being taken to court because they are still blowing over the 400mcg limit.
Senior Constable Andy Clinton adds that it is also not just one geographical location or age group, but rather "professionals all the way down to the unemployed".
In the last week, offenders have been averaging a breath alcohol reading of 600mcg to 800mcg and on Saturday police stopped eight drink-drivers across three separate locations in the region.
Sergeant Murray noted that, "Wherever we go we pick up at least one drink-driver."
It reached melting point when, on Tuesday, a traffic officer stopped a regular offender in the afternoon who blew an evidential breath test reading of 1509mcg.
On December 8-9, police stopped 16 drink-drivers, 10 of them were caught outside Gisborne Police Station within an hour.
While, from December 13 to 14, 13 drink-drivers were stopped by police in Hawke's Bay, not taking into account those that were identified by their traffic colleagues or by the public safety teams or community officers.
Road Policing Senior Sergeant Dan Foley expressed that, "everything we do is about the long-term effects to stop people from drink-driving, save lives and make the roads safer. If we can get that message out there that if you drink and drive you are an idiot."
The Traffic Alcohol Booze Bus, which is supported by Road Safe Hawke's Bay, is trying to be as visible as possible in the Eastern District.
"You don't know where we will be next and it won't be constrained to the central business districts," Sergeant Murray said.
"The main things we are focusing on are restraints, the use of mobile phones, speed, obviously the use of alcohol or drugs whilst driving and then focusing on encouragement to progress through the graduated driving licence system so that people are actually driving with the appropriate licence," Senior Constable Clinton said.
"Road safety is everyone's responsibility" and "Drink-driving stops here ... before here" are the two of the catch-phrases painted on all three sides of the Booze Bus.
The tension in the air was palpable and the shame associated was written on the face of a number of drivers who were forced to stand on the side of the road and call their relatives to pick them up.
The formidable words "I now require you to accompany me to the booze bus" will send a wave of anguish through anyone.
This was no more evident when Constable Hannah O'Leary ushered a 43-year-old driver into the back of the parked police car.
Adamant that he "only took one" after blowing 671mcg, Constable O'Leary noted that "they always say that".
"We always get asked how much can I have to drink and the best advice we can give is not to have anything to drink before driving," Senior Constable Clinton said.
Road Safe Hawke's Bay regional manager Linda Anderson repeated this sentiment saying, "Sober driving is the only way."
Senior Constable Clinton said: "It is each driver's responsibility and the sooner people wake up to themselves and get that mindset then hopefully all these statistics will change."
Sergeant Murray said: "The simple message is just don't drink and drive."
Those who were under the legal limit received a bag of lollies, most of which went straight into the eager hands of children in the back.
Road safety co-ordinator for Wairoa and Central Hawke's Bay and regional child restraint technician Liz Schlierike believes this simple gesture changes the whole atmosphere.
Sergeant Murray said those driving without the correct licence had become a real issue, with laziness as well as cost being the cause.
Before 10pm, a driver was pulled over with a breath alcohol reading of 320mcg and no licence.
"We try to encourage them to progress by issuing them an infringement notice but offering them compliance so they get so many days to progress to the next level of driver's licence and if they do and they can show they've done that then the fine is expunged.
Due to the volume of paperwork generated from the Clive check, the Traffic Alcohol Booze Bus did not establish any further checkpoints on Thursday night, but the team was out again on Friday evening by 7pm, checking drivers on the road to Waimarama.
Over the two-hour period on Thursday evening the team issued three infringement notices for drink/drive breath alcohol readings between 250 and 400mcg. Two drivers reveived court summons for drink driving and two for disqualified driving. One driver had their licence suspended on the spot, another was dealt with for drug driving, and two vehicles were impounded for 28 days.
The drink driving offenders prosecuted with summons or infringements ranged from a 20-year-old apprentice to a 49-year-old caregiver.