Drink-drive teen six times over limit

By Rachel Tiffen and Frances Morton

A 16-year-old was today caught six times over the legal drink-driving limit, prompting police to say he was "a fatal accident waiting to happen".

The Tauranga blocklayer was spotted on inner-city security cameras swerving all over the road.

He recorded a reading of 996 mcg breath/alcohol when pulled over on Takitimu Drive at 3.45am.

Strategic traffic unit Senior Sergeant Ian Campion said he was disgusted by the alcohol reading, particularly in someone so young.

Mr Campion said: "One of the reasons the breath and blood alcohol levels are lower for the under-20s is the fact that they don't have the experience or the skills to drive effectively."

"These issues are just exacerbated when you drive drunk."

After consuming that much, the teen would have been slurring his words, completely unsteady on his feet and unable to string sentences together, he said.

"At that point ... they are just a serious injury or fatal crash waiting to happen."

Mr Campion said while the 996mcg reading was at the top end of the scale, it was not unheard of.

"I will be honest with you, throughout the operation we have been running we have had young offenders coming through with breath alcohol levels in the 700, 800 and 900s."

Mr Campion laid some of the responsibility with parents - questioning where teenagers received alcohol from.

Since a concerted Western Bay of Plenty drink-driving campaign kicked off in October, teenage males have emerged as the main offenders.

Of the 202 people charged throughout the campaign so far, 49.4 per cent were aged between 15 and 24.

The statistics also reveal one in every 79 cars on the region's roads is being driven drunk.

Western Bay of Plenty road safety co-ordinator Lynette Hines was dismayed that young people on the roads were ignoring the message not to drink and drive.

"I'm just so disappointed and so frustrated. How can we get to these people?

"It goes in cycles and we're definitely on the downward cycle," she said, noting that she had seen an increase in the number of young teenagers being found drunk in control of a vehicle during the past two months.

She was concerned the teenager would have been a grave danger to the public. "He would have no control at all, poor judgement, no idea of speed," Ms Hines said.

The 16-year-old will be dealt with by Youth Aid and faces maximum penalties of six weeks imprisonment, a $2250 fine and three months disqualification from driving.

- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES