Wellington Police conducted more than 3,000 breath tests and 90 roadside drug screening tests over the weekend, identifying 18 drivers suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The enforcement operation took place between Friday 6 November and Sunday 8 November, with checkpoints and patrols across the Wellington region.
On Friday evening, Police conducted 905 passive breath tests, identifying six drivers over the legal alcohol limit. One recorded a reading more than three times the legal limit, while another was driving on a zero-alcohol licence.
Of the 30 oral fluid screening tests conducted that evening, three returned positive results for drugs, including methamphetamine, MDMA and cannabis.
A further 935 breath tests were carried out on Saturday, resulting in two drivers being detected with excess breath alcohol. One of the 30 drivers screened for drugs tested positive for methamphetamine and MDMA.
On Sunday afternoon, a checkpoint on Kapiti Road in Paraparaumu resulted in 1,414 breath tests and five drivers being detected over the alcohol limit. One driver recorded a reading more than twice the legal limit. Police also conducted another 30 oral fluid screening tests.
Police attended two other incidents on Sunday involving suspected impaired driving.
In Lower Hutt, a vehicle carrying a child passenger struck a parked car. Police allege the driver was under the influence of GBL.
In a separate incident, a public transport bus collided with a parked vehicle in Wellington’s northern suburbs before continuing its route. Police subsequently located the driver in central Wellington, where an evidential breath test reportedly showed an alcohol reading almost four times the legal limit.
The driver was immediately suspended from driving and is scheduled to appear in Porirua District Court on Tuesday 10 November, facing charges of driving a transport service vehicle with a breath alcohol level exceeding 400 micrograms per litre, careless driving, and failing to stop or ascertain whether anyone was injured.
Wellington Area Road Policing Response Manager Senior Sergeant Pete Dear said the operation demonstrated the continuing problem of impaired driving.
“There were 18 drivers found to be driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and this is really concerning,” he said.
Police said their road safety operations also target speeding, distracted driving, seatbelt offences and other dangerous driving behaviour.
Senior Sergeant Dear confirmed that Wellington District Police would maintain roadside enforcement operations throughout the region, focusing on driving behaviours associated with serious crashes and fatalities.
