Police said recording of alcohol-related crashes was higher on urban roads because of an increased police presence in high-traffic areas.
Wairarapa road policing manager Sergeant Chris Megaw said many drivers involved in alcohol-related crashes started their journeys in remote areas as opposed to town centres, and often from a friend's house.
"In general, we find that people have known the drunk drivers were intoxicated prior to them getting on the road but haven't stopped them. "Police continue to reinforce the message: Be a legend for your mates and don't let them drive drunk."
Drivers attending social functions in remoter areas often drove home thinking they wouldn't get caught, rather than considering "the danger they place passengers and other drivers in. The higher speeds, more unforgiving roads, lack of cellphone coverage and longer response times means ... higher fatality rates on rural roads."
Mr Megaw said although police deployed a booze bus to major summer events as a deterrent, they came across drink drivers every year. Extra police would be rostered on this weekend with marked and plain cars being used.
"We would expect to see visits from highway patrol staff at peak traffic flow times on Friday afternoon and Monday afternoon."
National manager road policing Superintendent Carey Griffiths said alcohol-related crashes were often associated with speed and not wearing seatbelts.
"Drink-drivers are not only killing themselves, they are killing other innocent road users. For every 100 alcohol-impaired drivers or riders who died in a road crash from 2010 to 2012, 53 of their passengers and 18 other road users died with them."
Rural alcohol-related drink-driving fatal and serious-injury crashes had a rate of 38 per 100,000 population, compared with urban crashes of 8 per 100,000 population, he said. "The consequences of a 50km/h crash are less disastrous than a 100km/h crash, regardless of the environment, but rural areas are compounded by terrain, lots of bridges, culverts, drops and the fact that injured people can lie undiscovered for hours or sometimes days."
The Government is reviewing drink-drive limits, which are among the highest in the world.
- additional reporting Brendan Manning
Labour Weekend facts and figures
** Labour Weekend started at 4pm yesterday and will end at 6am on Tuesday.
** Common crash factors last Labour Weekend were losing control, travelling too fast and alcohol.
** Six people died on the roads last Labour Weekend.
** Over the past five Labour Weekends, 78 per cent of all fatal crashes occurred on the open road.
** For the holiday period, anyone who drives more than 4km/h over the permanent posted speed limit can be ticketed.
** Highly visible compulsory breath test and licence checkpoints will target the times and places where people are most likely to drink. Every driver stopped can expect to be breath tested.
Source: New Zealand Police
