Drugs, speeding prompt caution ahead of Easter

Inspector Wayne Ewers.

Allegedly smoking a joint while driving in Northland has left an Auckland woman off the road temporarily ahead of a busy Easter Weekend.

And a woman allegedly clocked doing 132km/h in an 80km/h zone on the Brynderwyn Hills will be finding an alternative mode of transport over the long weekend. Last year there were no fatal crashes on Northland's roads over the Easter break and police hope for the same result this weekend.

Northland's top traffic officer Inspector Wayne Ewers said officers would be patrolling and enforcing the 4km/h speed tolerance.

Last Thursday a female driver from Auckland was heading south on State Highway 1 near Oakleigh when she was stopped by an officer. Police allege the 49-year-old had just finished smoking a cannabis joint, as there was a strong cannabis odour when she opened the window to speak with the officer.

A roadside compulsory impairment test was carried out which she failed. The woman was taken to Whangarei police station where a blood test was done. Results should be known within three weeks and police will decide whether to lay charges. In the meantime she received infringement notices for driving an unlicensed motor vehicle and was forbidden to drive for 12 hours.

On the same day an Auckland woman driving up the Brynderwyns on her way back to Auckland was allegedly travelling at 132km/h in an 80km/h area and was one of 165 motorists nabbed for speeding during the week in Northland.

She was stopped and served with a 28-day suspension notice, issued with a speeding infringement and has been summonsed to appear in Whangarei District Court. A passenger in the car was too drunk to drive so family members travelling in another vehicle returned and collected them.

Mr Ewers said police efforts this Easter would be focused on detecting drunk drivers, enforcing speed limits, ensuring seatbelts were worn and paying attention to those who put others at risk by using their phone at the wheel.