Drink-drive, with tot in footwell

A woman will appear in Hamilton District Court this week on excess breath alcohol and child neglect charges. Photo / Thinkstock

Police have criticised a woman they say was drink-driving with an unrestrained child standing in the car for her "appalling and distressing" actions.

The 25-year-old was stopped in Hamilton yesterday afternoon after a dangerous manoeuvre. Police say she had been drinking, as well as driving with a 3-year-old standing in the front passenger seat footwell and a drunk pregnant woman in the backseat.

"If that wasn't bad enough, the woman was found to be driving in breach of her learner licence," Waikato road policing services team leader Senior Sergeant Kevin Anderson said.

The woman was pulled over after performing a risky u-turn on State Highway 3-Ohaupo Rd near the intersection with Urlich Ave about 3pm, police said.

She had carried out the manoeuvre in front of oncoming traffic and had "what appeared to be a small child being tossed about in the front of the car".

The woman recorded a breath-alcohol test result of 679mcg. The adult limit is 400mcg.

"To make matters worse, travelling in the back seat of the car was an intoxicated pregnant woman who was smoking," Mr Anderson said.

"Considering what has occurred, we really need to look at the messages we're sending to our kids because in this case they are the wrong ones."

The nearby intersection was busy with school pupils, he said, and the woman had put "hundreds" at risk.

A woman will appear in Hamilton District Court this week on excess breath alcohol and child neglect charges.