The gauntlet for drink-drivers is getting narrower, Dunedin police say, after hundreds of motorists were breath-tested in the city yesterday.
Constable Nick Turner, of Dunedin, said their impairment team tested 700 drivers during their shift yesterday.
During one checkpoint in Brighton at 4.30pm, 24 drivers were found to have alcohol on their breath, which suggested people were having a beer before driving home, Const Turner said.
None of the drivers was found to be over the legal alcohol limit.
The high number of breath tests being conducted meant that while drink-drivers might choose to run the gauntlet of enforcement, that gauntlet was getting narrower and narrower, Const Turner said.
Not only were dedicated impairment testing staff out in force, but all staff would conduct impairment tests, especially at night.
Any amount of alcohol consumption increased the chance of something happening, and reduced reaction time, Const Turner said.
‘‘People need to be aware that drivers will be be tested any time and anywhere,’’ he said.
Even if a driver was ultimately under the legal limit, it made for a nervous wait while their breath tests were being processed, Const Turner said.
