More money to catch drunk drivers

The Government is ramping up efforts to catch drunk drivers with the announcement of its $1.3 billion Road Policing Investment Programme (RPIP). That figure will be spent over the next three years.

The main thrust of the RPIP is to increase alcohol breath testing with a target of 3.3 million roadside tests per year. There will be a focus on ‘high-risk times’ with a requirement that 65 per cent of breath tests are conducted during these occasions.

Part of the funding ($20million) will be set aside to carry out roadside drug testing, the Government setting a target of 50,000 tests annually. Police will also be incentivised to meet the targets.

According to minister Brown; “Our Government is focused on improving road safety through road policing and enforcement, investment in new and safe roading infrastructure, and targeting the leading contributors to fatal crashes such as drug and alcohol impairment.

“Today’s release of the RPIP shows a significant step up in road policing and reinforces our Government’s commitment to ensuring there is strong enforcement on our roads to keep Kiwis travelling around our country safe.”

“This plan has a clear focus on outcomes and has clear targets to ensure Police are focussed on the most high-risk times, behaviours, and locations. The plan will ensure Police target speeding offences on high-risk roads, a clear focus on drugs and alcohol enforcement to deter impaired drivers.

“Alcohol and drugs are the number one contributing factor in fatal road crashes in New Zealand. Over 2019-2022, crashes involving drug drivers claimed the lives of an average of 105 people each year and represented around 30 per cent of all road deaths.

“The plan increases the alcohol breath testing target from 3 million tests to 3.3 million tests per year and introduces a new target for at least 65 per cent of alcohol breath tests to be undertaken during the most high and extreme alcohol risk times.

$24 million a year has been set aside for incentive payments to ensure speed, alcohol, and drug enforcement targets are met. This funding will be released based upon targets being achieved.