His brother, Aperahama Rewiti, was in the passenger seat and died instantly.
Rameka Rewiti had 140mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood in his system. That is a high level, with the legal limit for drivers aged 20 and over being 50mg. He was sentenced to 12 months’ home detention.
The death, which defence lawyer Hugh Leabourn described as an “absolute tragedy”, is heartbreaking. The brothers were close, and it had a horrific impact on their family.
It will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
The terrible truth is that this case will not be the last needless drink-driving death in New Zealand. How sad is that?
The problem spans across our communities and society and has in the past included entertainment and sports stars and politicians.
The day after the Rewiti story appeared online, the NZ Herald published an article based on police documents that revealed new claims about the July 2023 case of former Justice Minister Kiri Allan.
The dangers of drink-driving and driving after taking drugs are obvious, and the statistics speak for themselves. Ministry of Transport figures show there were 138 fatal crashes, 293 serious injury crashes, and 726 minor injury crashes where driver alcohol/drugs were a contributing factor in 2023.
In these crashes, 155 people died, 413 people were seriously injured, and 1086 people suffered minor injuries.
That is a lot of pain and devastation for the families and loved ones left behind.
Police remain focused on catching drink-drivers and should be praised for their efforts. Government figures show that, in 2024, they conducted about 4.1 million roadside breath alcohol tests – the most ever, and about 900,000 more than in 2023.
The other positive news is that the figures show the number of alcohol-related road fatalities reduced by nearly 40%, from 92 in 2023 to 57 in 2024.
Significant progress has been made over the years to raise awareness and lower tolerance. The limit for drivers aged under 20 was reduced to zero, and the adult limit was lowered. Education programmes have also played an important part.
But 57 alcohol-related deaths last year are 57 too many.
So, a critical question remains. Are the penalties tough enough?
The current ones are varied depending on the level of offending and circumstances. Examples include a $200 fine and demerit points, and a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $20,000 if someone is killed or injured, as well as an automatic disqualification of at least a year.
However, as reported last month in the Herald, a survey revealed New Zealanders want harsher penalties for drink-drivers.
The New Zealand Alcohol Beverages Council, an industry group, surveyed 1000 people and found support for measures such as confiscating cars, targeted support programmes and heavier fines.
The survey showed 79% support confiscating cars from drink drivers, 59% want heavier fines for drunk and disorderly behaviour, and 54% want to use alcohol interlocks – breath-testing devices wired into vehicle starting systems – to reduce drink-driving.
It is positive that drink-driving deaths are down, and more breath tests are being done. Education and rehabilitation will always be important components in this never-ending fight.
But the right penalties must also form part of the wider picture. Punishment and deterrence are important.
Law changes that came into effect in 2023 introduced new infringements and tougher penalties for drug driving.
This was a positive move. Drug driving also remains a major threat, with police reporting that in 2021, there were 93 people killed in crashes where a driver was found to have the presence of drugs, nearly a third of all fatalities that year.
It’s now time to toughen the drink-driving laws. A review of how the courts are applying them is also appropriate.
More jail time, higher fines, longer disqualification periods, and other measures, such as mandatory alcohol interlock devices and mandatory vehicle confiscation, all need to be explored.
Lives depend on it.
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