Northland police notice an increase in crashes involving drink-drivers

Northland police are seeing an increase in road crashes involving drink-drivers post lockdown. Photo / File

Northland police are seeing an increase in the number of road crashes involving drink-drivers post lockdown.

Although figures were not immediately available, acting Senior Sergeant Pat Waters said people seemed to have forgotten to obey the road rules judging from quite a lot of drink drivers caught behind the wheel.

Police suspect alcohol was involved in two crashes in Northland over the weekend.

The first involved a car that crashed before catching fire on the Kaitaia-Awaroa Rd near Ahipara about 9.20pm on Saturday.

The male driver was attended to by St John paramedics before being airlifted to the Auckland City Hospital in a critical condition.

At 1.15am yesterday, a car crashed into a house on Murdoch Cres in Raumanga.

The male driver was the sole occupant and was transported to Whangārei Hospital with minor injuries.

Waters said drivers from both crashes would be spoken to when they recovered and charges may follow.

"Since Covid rules were relaxed, we are catching more people drunk behind the wheel and it's been a concern to our roading policing team," Waters said.

"People need to obey the road rules. Do not drink and drive, drive to the conditions, wear your seatbelt otherwise there can be serious consequences, not only for the driver and the passengers, but to innocent road users as well."

In another case from over the weekend, Waters said the police Serious Crash Unit is investigating a crash following a pursuit north of the Brynderwyn Hill about 7.45pm on Saturday.

A car with four people on board was clocked by a static speed camera doing 140km/h on Uretiti, south of Whangārei, and a police patrol unit was alerted.

A pursuit started on the northern side of the Brynderwyn Hill but had to be abandoned at the top of the hill due to the manner of driving.

The car crashed on the southern side of the hill.

Waters said the female driver was extricated and transported to the Whangārei Hospital with moderate injuries.

Three of the four occupants of the vehicle were able to get out on their own accord.

He said charges were expected to be laid.