A fun night out has turned into a very real hangover for 18 people caught drink-driving in the Bay of Plenty.
Police operated two checkpoints in Rotorua yesterday, coinciding with SIX60¡¯s near-sold-out concert.
Some 968 drivers were stopped and breath-tested, of which 18 were found to be over the legal limit. Seven of those were caught in a 75-minute period prior to the gig.
Three vehicles were impounded, and one disqualified driver was also apprehended.
The number of drink-drivers caught is pointlessly high, Bay of Plenty Police Sergeant Mark Holmes says. On average, one out of every 53 drivers was over the limit.
¡°Free buses were provided for people heading to and from the gig, and Police had warned people to expect checkpoints before and after the concert. It¡¯s incredibly frustrating we caught so many people.
¡°We now have a number of people facing court hearings for getting behind the wheel when they shouldn¡¯t have.
¡°What people don¡¯t realise is the impacts a drink-driving conviction can have on their work life, their home life, and their ability to travel abroad. You can face difficulties getting insurance, credit, and work visas.
¡°This is without mentioning the catastrophic damage a crash will do to the human body, and the trauma it inflicts on those who have to deal with that. Impaired drivers are at a higher risk of crashing, and we make no apology for checkpoints that get them off the road.
¡°If you¡¯ve been drinking, don¡¯t assume you¡¯re ¡®fine¡¯ to drive. It¡¯s a dumb choice to make.¡±
