Driver 'played Russian roulette' with children's lives

File photo / NZ Herald

A recidivist drink driver played Russian roulette with his children's lives when he allegedly drove drunk last night, police say.

Waikato police district road policing manager Inspector Leo Tooman said the man was one of three drivers caught at checkpoints in Huntly.

The man, who had his four children in the car, returned a breath alcohol reading of 640 micrograms per litre of breath. The legal limit is 400mcg.

"This man has five previous excess breath alcohol charges and is indicative of the hardcore recidivist drink driving element we warned about on Monday," Mr Tooman said.

"Not only was he placing his life and that of other drivers at risk he was playing Russian roulette with the lives of four children."

Also caught was a man who returned a reading of 1162 micrograms who "drew attention to himself on account of the very low speed he was travelling at across Tainui Bridge".

"When stopped the man had to be helped out of his vehicle," Mr Tooman said.

The man was also a recidivist drunk driver so was taken into custody overnight and bailed this morning.

The men, plus a third person police were awaiting a blood test on, were among a group of hardcore, recidivist drunk drivers putting the lives of other motorists at risk in Waikato.

"On Monday we spoke of our concern about women becoming an increasing risk on the roads driving under the influence of alcohol men still account for 55-65 per cent of drink drivers," Mr Tooman said.

"... there is this hardcore group that seems to think that drink driving offences are little more than a speeding ticket, regardless of the risk they pose to themselves or other members of the public".