KEY POINTS:
Auckland city police say friends and family must take a stronger lead in stopping people from drink driving, following a weekend anti-drink driving campaign.
Operation Safer Auckland stopped 10,604 vehicles in and around the city from 3am on Saturday to Sunday.
The blitz by Auckland City Police and the specialist Traffic Alcohol Group saw 125 people caught driving over the limit, with the highest reading of 1175 micrograms (mcg).
The limit for a person over 20 years is 400mcg.
Another 40 people opted to have blood tests taken, which would determine whether they would face court proceedings, Auckland City Road Policing Manager Inspector Heather Wells said.
Ms Wells said 30 who tested positive were teenagers aged under 20, and were inexperienced drivers.
"Recidivist drink driving is of great concern to the police. The proportion of drivers continually offending are high and this should also be of concern to the public."
One driver who was processed in Otara on Friday night was over the limit blowing 660mcg. He had his licence suspended and he taken home only to be stopped again in Auckland on Saturday morning after borrowing a car. This time his breath was over 1000mcg for the test, she said.
Also among those stopped was a lawyer, who was processed for a third time and several 18 year olds were processed for the second time since they had been driving, she said.
Another driver lived 400m from a check point. He wanted a packet of cigarettes so drove from his property through the checkpoint and blew 800mcg, she said.
"Police are very concerned about these attitudes.
"Clearly drivers are not looking at the wider picture and the results their unacceptable behaviour may impact on innocent people who then do become victims."
"It is time the public took a stronger lead by stopping friends and family driving after they have been drinking.
"It is a waste of innocent lives when there is a death or serious injury as a result of drink driving.
"Police are concerned about the increase in the number of injury alcohol related crashes across metro Auckland.
"We are determined in our efforts to see a marked decrease in those crashes as in a majority of instances the innocent drivers or passengers are the victims."
- NZPA
