KEY POINTS:
A nationwide blitz on drink-driving last night found a "shocking" number of drunk drivers on the roads and it appears drink-driving is on the rise, police say.
The blitz, the second of Operation Raid, stopped 26,760 drivers and found a shocking 236 drunk drivers, national road policing manager Superintendent Dave Cliff said.
A further 42 people were awaiting the results of blood tests.
"Police remain saddened and concerned that so many drivers are still prepared to risk their own lives and those of others by driving while impaired," he said.
"A range of indicators are showing that the level of drink driving has been rising. Drink drive prosecutions have been increasing by around 1000 per year, alcohol related injury crashes have been increasing and recently, the number of dead drunk drivers has also risen," he said.
"We cannot afford to be complacent even though nowadays most thinking people say they do not drink and drive, the evidence here shows that there are more out there than we like to admit."
Mr Cliff said for the first time since alcohol surveys began, drink drive rates had risen from 0.7 per cent of late night drivers (between 10pm Friday and 2am Saturday) in 2004 to 0.9 per cent in 2006.
This was a "statistically significant increase", he said.
Also, the Public Attitudes to Road Safety Survey showed that less than 50 percent of drivers believed it was likely they would be stopped at a checkpoint, the lowest level since 1999.
Mr Cliff said the first Operation Raid nationwide blitz in May tested more than 43,000 drivers and resulted in more than 350 facing prosecution.
"Atrocious weather conditions" last night meant traffic was lighter, so less drivers were stopped.
- NZPA
