A new booze bus arrives in Canterbury this week doubling enforcement capability.
"I'm very pleased to welcome the second booze bus to Canterbury," says Traffic Inspector Derek Erasmus. "The first arrived in 1999 and had a big impact. Alcohol is one of the two main causes of trauma on our roads. I'm looking for another reduction in that harm to compare with the initial introduction in 1999 when there was a significant decline in alcohol related death and injury."
The arrival of the booze bus coincides with launch of a nation wide alcohol campaign this week, and the beginning of a six month emphasis on drink drivers in Canterbury.
"The message to the public is your chances of being stopped and breath-tested have just doubled," says Inspector Erasmus. "We have the staff to run two buses and intend to use them to best effect in Christchurch and rural areas. At the same time there will be increased emphasis by all other uniform staff to carry out check points."
There are usually more drink drivers caught within the town says Inspector Erasmus, however the consequences are usually worse in the country because the speeds are higher. Last weekend when an extra bus from Tasman district was working in Canterbury, over 70 drivers in the central city were caught over the limit.
The heightened emphasis on drink driving will continue into the new year.