Drivers nabbed with 'ridiculous' breath alcohol levels

Police at checkpoint throughout Northland breath tested hundreds of drivers during a operation to detect drunk or impaired drivers. Photo / John Stone

Motorists with alcohol levels police consider "ridiculous" were nabbed during a Northland police operation targeting drunk and drugged drivers.

The Friday-night blitz saw hundreds of drivers throughout Whangārei and Dargaville stopped at police checkpoints and breath tested. It is part of the region's police push for a fatal free Easter

Most motorists complied but officers were involved in two incidents where drivers failed to stop and fled. A police dog and handler tracked and found one man while officers are confident they know the identity of the other and will be working to locate the driver this week.

Area Prevention Manager for Whangārei/Kaipara Senior Sergeant John Fagan was out on the road with the police teams and was disappointed safety messages still did not seem to be taken seriously.

"We still have people not learning the lesson of not drinking and driving. We are disappointed that we apprehended six drivers who still think it's still okay to put other road users at risk," Fagan said.

The legal limit for drivers aged 20 and over is 250 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath while for drivers 19 and under it is zero. During the operation one driver was behind the wheel three-and-a-half times the legal limit.

"The highest reading registered of the evening was 901 micrograms which is ridiculous.

"There is no way anyone would have proper control of a vehicle anywhere over the breath alcohol limit let alone one that high."

There were two fleeing driver incidents, one in Morningside where the driver evaded police by driving into a property on Morningside Rd and running off through the back of the address.

"We are aware of his identity after he left plenty of evidence in the vehicle and was spotted on CCTV. We will be following this up," Fagan said.

The second, a rider of a motorcycle who tried to evade police, wasn't so lucky after he went to ground off Raumanga Valley Rd and was found by a police dog team.

Police also impounded five vehicles, suspended a number of drivers' licences and issued infringement notices for offences directly related to safety such as children not wearing seatbelts, drivers not wearing seatbelts and using a cellphone while driving.

"By wearing your seatbelt and being fully focused on the task of driving we will reduce our chance of being a road fatality statistic here in Northland," Fagan said.

Of the nine fatal crashes this year two people who died had not been wearing seatbelts. An 18-year-old who crashed on Puhipuhi Road and was thrown from the vehicle he was driving remains in a serious condition in hospital with serious brain injuries.

In 2018 a summary of 35 fatal crashes in the region showed 12 people died after failing to wear a seatbelt and, in 2017, 15 of the 40 fatal crashes were the result of unrestrained drivers or passengers.