The head of the Rural Drink Drive Group for the Southern region, Sergeant Bruce Martin, of Alexandra, said it was pleasing to see groups of people organising a sober driver to get them safely to and from a venue, but they should be careful not to overload vehicles.
''We've stopped a van recently, for example, with a sober driver but six people in the back. There's no restraints in the back, so where are those people going to go if there's a crash?''
As well as focusing on drinking drivers and speeding drivers, police would also be making sure motorists heading to their holiday destination towing large caravans and boats had appropriate rear-vision mirrors, Sgt Martin said.
''Sometimes we see people towing hugely expensive boats and caravans but the driver can't see what's behind them on the road,'' he said.
''They've spent lots on the boat or caravan but have no rear visibility, when all they have to do is buy a clip-on mirror to give them good rear vision so they can see what's happening on the road behind them.
''Last year we issued infringement notices to drivers in that situation and we'll do that again this year, if they don't have mirrors fitted that give them suitable visibility.''
