Low-alcohol drinks tipped to gain fans

New driving laws came into force yesterday and police have warned there'll be no tolerance for drivers who plead ignorance. Photo / NZME.

Some punters anxious to avoid penalties under the new drink-drive limits are expected to acquire a taste for lower-alcohol tipples.

New driving laws came into force yesterday and police have warned there'll be no tolerance for drivers who plead ignorance.

Many bars were stocking up on lower-alcohol liquor or even introducing new lower-alcohol beers on tap.

Hospitality Association chief executive Bruce Robertson said several lower-alcohol products had recently entered the market, especially medium-strength beers and lower-alcohol wines.

Despite possible changes to drinking habits, Mr Robertson expected the law to make little difference to road safety. He believed many diners thought the law change had already been made, and had adapted their behaviour accordingly.

Recidivist or extreme drink-drivers were a different story.

"The real problem is those people that drink well over the limit and are often recidivists," Mr Robertson said. "This change is not going to have any impact on those people at all."

Mr Robertson said some restaurants were placing more emphasis on courtesy cars for diners possibly at risk of drinking beyond the new limit.

He said the association provided its members with facts about the new law. It was up to each establishment to decide how to keep diners informed.

Yesterday, the blood alcohol limit was lowered from 80 to 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, or 400 to 250 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. Drivers found with between 251 and 400mg of alcohol would receive a $200 fine. Those with higher levels would face prosecution.

In Dunedin, Inch Bar owner Jonas Hjertquist told the Otago Daily Times he had bought 2.5 per cent alcohol beer in anticipation of the change in behaviour. The new option was aimed at luring punters in what had become an increasingly difficult industry.

In the North Island, clubs and pubs started stocking up on low-alcohol beverages a few days ahead of the new alcohol limit, Hawke's Bay Today reported.

Assistant Commissioner of road policing Dave Cliff said there would be extra police on the roads and an emphasis on road safety this month and in January.

"Because these are the months when the fatal and serious injuries, speed and alcohol-related crashes, hit their maximum numbers."

People could still be impaired by alcohol the morning after a heavy drinking session, he said.

"Your judgement is still not 100 per cent, your reaction time is slower, you're more likely to carry out risky driving behaviours, you're more likely to kill someone else or yourself in a road crash."

Drivers have also been put on notice they could be pulled over for driving even 1km above the speed limit. The discretion was for officers monitoring traffic, rather than speed cameras, which had a 4km/h speed tolerance.