Shock over teens caught in blitz

Land Transport New Zealand says the drink driving message does not seem to be getting through.

In a major Auckland operation from early Saturday until Sunday morning 125 people from 10,604 vehicles stopped were detected with excess breath alcohol. Thirty were teenagers.

Police inspector Heather Wells says police are shocked that many of the young drivers clearly felt they were above the law.

She says one teenager was apprehended in Otara on Friday night, had his licence suspended and was delivered home. However, he drank more alcohol, drove into Auckland city and was apprehended at another checkpoint early on Saturday morning.

LTNZ spokesman Andy Knackstedt says it is disappointing when people who are not even at the legal drinking age are getting behind the wheel drunk.

He says in many cases it is family members who are supplying alcohol to the teenagers and giving them the keys to the cars. He says the problem is a wider societal issue and parents, families and communities need to take responsibility as well.

Land Transport New Zealand says some teenagers need to be exposed to the hard hitting message about the dangers of drink driving.

Knackstedt says the drink driving campaign is being revised because there is almost a generation that has not been exposed to the same sort of hard hitting advertisements as people were 10 years ago.

tv nz