Liz Dobson: Even a single drink impairs your ability

Breath alcohol limits are changing as of Monday December 1st. Photo / NZME.

From Monday, drink driving limits change in New Zealand, with limits lowering for everyone over 20.

The limit is lowered from 400mcg of alcohol per litre of breath to 250mcg and the blood alcohol limit lowers from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood (0.08), to 50mg (0.05).

According to police statistics, alcohol contributes to around 30 per cent of New Zealand fatal road crashes and over the past 10 years, fatal crashes caused by drink-driving have claimed the lives of around 1100 people and caused serious injuries to another 5300.

Of course it's no coincidence the timing of the lowering of the limits is just before Christmas.

I remember driving home from a Saturday night shift at a newspaper just before Christmas when I was heavily pregnant with my second child and was stopped at a drink-drive checkpoint.

The officer asked if I had been drinking, so I just pointed to my large belly and laughed, "No, I'm pregnant".

"That doesn't make any difference," the officer said, as I blew into the breathalyser.

These days I don't drink at all when I'm driving.

And it's not just because I'm testing expensive cars, or I'd lose my job if I was caught over the limit. After an advanced driving course lesson, the instructor told us that our reflexes are notably reduced after just one drink.

To prove the point, he made us drive at 50km/h on the race track towards a coned area and slam on the brakes.

A few cones were damaged during the demonstration, but the point was sobering.