KEY POINTS:
A heavily pregnant woman has been caught driving while allegedly three times over the legal limit.
The woman was stopped after rubber from a loose front tyre on her car disintegrated and flew over a Bay of Plenty road.
Senior Sergeant Ian Campion said a police officer travelling on State Highway 2 saw rubber and debris flying from the disintegrating front left tyre on the woman's car as she drove towards Katikati.
He stopped the woman and found she was heavily pregnant and "severely intoxicated".
The incident happened on Sunday at 2.30pm but police revealed the facts of the case late yesterday.
The woman provided a breath alcohol reading of 1259 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath - more than three times the legal adult limit of 400mcg, police said.
The woman was on a learner's licence and therefore not legally allowed to drive alone.
"At the time her main concern was whether the police would help her change the tyre so that she could continue on her way," said Mr Campion.
He said the officer also found a number of the wheel nuts were loose on the wheel. Mr Campion described the incident as "defying logic".
"This particular case is one of those that is particularly shocking given: one, the condition of the vehicle and, two, the high level of alcohol - not to mention her personal condition," he said.
The incident is the sixth in less than a month involving women, including one from Tauranga, driving drunk while pregnant or with children in the car.
Drug Arm Tauranga counsellor Ingrid Proctor said no amount of alcohol was known to be safe during pregnancy.
"Definitely it will affect the baby, especially to that level. We'd be looking at Foetal Alcohol Syndrome when the baby's born depending on how often and how much she's drunk."
Mrs Proctor said Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) could lead to behavioural, physical and learning problems.
A 23-year-old woman is due to appear in Tauranga District Court tomorrow charged with drink driving.
