Northland has recorded it's worst drink driving numbers in years and police expect it to get worse before it gets better.
The rise has been attributed to greater police resources focussed on nabbing drunk drivers.
Latest police statistics obtained by the Northern Advocate show last year 2308 drivers were caught drunk behind the wheel with a record number of recidivist offenders.
Almost a quarter - 540 - had three or more previous convictions for drunk driving.
Head of Northland's traffic police Inspector Clifford Paxton said the numbers of drunk drivers had significantly increased over the last five years and the rise was expected to continue before it reached a tipping point.
"It's an area we focus on and hopefully with time we will see a downward trend.
"There will be a tipping point. The perception of getting caught by police is increasing.
"We want to get over that point and see the fatalities and injury accidents come down," Mr Paxton said.
In 2008 there were 1459 drunk drivers caught on the regions roads, that rose to 1840 in 2006, and 2173 in in 2007.
The records showed overall December was the worst month of the year.
While the numbers were disappointing it came as no surprise, Mr Paxton said.
"Unfortunately, despite the focus on alcohol and the increased recognition by some in our community of this focus there is a minority that do not get the message and therefore put themselves and others at risk." The Northern Advocate in conjunction with the police have been publishing the names and details of those drunk drivers convicted in the Whangarei Court.
Of the 177 people convicted of drink driving offences between January 5 and April 8 in Whangarei District Court, 40 were aged 19 or under.
That's just over a quarter of those convicted.
The two youngest were females aged 17 , one a mother and one unemployed.
Eleven of the 40 were females and 12 had previous convictions for drink driving.
The highest reading among them was 1125mcg - nearly 10 times the youth limit - for James Robert Ritchie, tyre fitter, aged 19 when he was caught by police.
It was Ritchie's fourth drink driving conviction and he got nine months jail and disqualified for 12 months and one day.
Next highest was 1030mcg, for 19-year-old Daniel Joseph Walker, unemployed of Whangarei.
It was Walker's second drink driving conviction and he got four months community detention, nine months supervision and disqualified for 12 months.
Mr Paxton said while it is disappointing that a number of Northland's young people were placing themselves and others at risk in some cases perhaps it reflected the environment in which they were raised.
"They are repeating behaviours to which they have been exposed and in some cases normalised."
Drunks on the road hit new low
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.