A police checkpoint. File photo / Herald on Sunday
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A huge majority of police want New Zealand's drink driving limit lowered, new survey results show.
Polling by the NZ Police Association revealed 80 per cent of police wanted the limit lowered, compared to just 14 per cent who wanted to keep it at its current level and six per
cent who weren't sure.
Its president Greg O'Connor said the results spoke of police frustration at seeing crash after crash where alcohol was a factor.
"There is alcohol present in much of the trauma they attend. They go to crash scenes and see drunk people.
"Police are here to do a job, but we also are human. When we come across a scene, we're professionals but we are humans who have families of our own.
"It is a part of the job that has an impact."
A parliament select committee is set to discuss road safety legislation today.
It will consider the merits of changes to the drink drive limit, such as the Ministry of Transport backed move to reduce it from 80mg to 50mg per 100ml of blood.
Mr O'Connor is confident the police survey results will weigh into future Government decisions on road safety.
"It's reasonable to assume those involved in attending incidents of road trauma are going to have a better understanding of it. The opinions of those who are seeing the results of the trauma shouldn't be discounted.
"It's about informed decision making. Good research makes for good law."
The current drink driving limit is difficult or impossible to exceed without being drunk, he says.
"The idea you can have three or four drinks and accidentally creep over the limit is a myth.
"I've sat and watched as all the people who get caught with excess blood alcohol come through and everyone who comes through is drunk."
Mr O'Connor did not want to sign up to the New Zealand Herald-led Two Drinks Max campaign.
But he is supportive of self-imposed two drink limit as a way to assess if it is okay to get behind the wheel.
"I try to encourage a personal limit of two. After two you're closer to the limit and you're more likely to lose count of how many drinks you're having.
"Having these absolutes makes it easier."
