Police are urging those out enjoying the Festive season to make safe arrangements to get home after figures released by crash investigators showed alcohol was a factor in nearly half of all the Waikato's fatal crashes this year.
District Road Policing Manager, Inspector Leo Tooman, said 48 people had died on Waikato roads so far this year in 41 crashes.
"Of those crashes 19 (about 46%)involved alcohol, drugs or both as a contributing factor and the figures are the same in relation to speed.
"What that means is potentially nearly half of our fatal crashes could have been avoided if drivers followed basics steps such as not drinking and driving and watching their speed."
Mr Tooman said it was a tough call for emergency services to be called away from their own families over the summer to attend crashes that appear to be avoidable.
"On Sunday two men, 40-year-old Peter TUMAHAI of Orakei and 19-year-old Jonathan BURT of Putaruru, died in two separate single vehicle crashes in which the drivers had been drinking and the vehicles were travelling at excessive speed.
"To compound the issue both men were not wearing seatbelts, had they been we believe the crashes would have been survivable and it is gutting in that 11 people died last year on Waikato roads not wearing seatbelts which was promoted widely in the media."
Mr Tooman said far from officers being the party poopers Police encouraged responsibly managed work Christmas functions.
"But a successful Christmas party is not one where those attending, and their vehicles, are written off, a good function is one where there is plenty of substantial food and non-alcoholic drinks available and where arrangements have been made to get everyone home safely."
"While we ask organisers to adhere to their host responsibilities we will also be backing this up with a highly visible policing presence out on our roads this summer."
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