Cops nab suspended driver after alerts

Suspended driver fails drug test after being caught by Police.

A suspended driver in a luxury car failed a drug test after he was caught driving in Whangarei en route to the Far North with an unrestrained 5-year-old girl lying down on the back seat.

The 60-year-old from Auckland was one of those dobbed in by members of the public who witnessed erratic and dangerous drivers behind the wheels on Northland roads this festive season.

Whangarei police have thanked the public for reporting drivers who behaved irresponsibly on the roads, and have urged them to continue with the same throughout the holiday period.

The Auckland man was seen driving his Aston Martin dangerously in Oakleigh about 8.30am yesterday and he was stopped in Whangarei a short time later, police said.

Checks revealed he was a suspended driver and he allegedly refused a blood sample after undergoing a drug impairment test which he failed.

A 37-year-old female passenger was charged with possession of utensils for smoking methamphetamine.

A Whangarei police officer said the car was impounded and arrangements made for the child to be picked up by a relative from the Far North.

"There's a huge volume of traffic out there and a majority of drivers are well-behaved who've been let down by some idiots caught speeding and making bad decisions," the officer said. "Be aware that your actions have consequences."

Another driving incident on Northland roads involved a male motorcyclist who was clocked by a police radar doing 124km/h on State Highway 1 in Uretiti about 8.50am on Christmas Day.

A chase ensued and he allegedly reached speeds in excess of 160km/h while overtaking traffic on double yellow lines.

Sergeant Grant Rouse said the 22-year-old motorcyclist was located at a house on Port Marsden Highway after the homeowner reported him pulling into the driveway. He is facing charges of reckless driving and failing to stop.

Some drivers have been clocked at 40km/h above the speed limit on the Brynderwyn Hills since Christmas Day.