Drink Driving Programmes In Northland

Police are working with health, councils and road safety agencies to reduce the number of drink drivers on Northland's roads.

There are two programmes in Northland to assist people who have a problem with drink driving.

Northland Police Road Policing Manager Inspector Murray Hodson says Police are very supportive of these programmes, particularly as there is still a problem of recidivist drink driving in the region.

"There are a number of drivers being stopped with high breath alcohol readings and this is a concern to us. Over the last week staff in the mid north stopped more than 20 drunk drivers. Police also stopped a man about 9am on Saturday, who had two previous convictions and blew 1001mgms/litre of breath."

Mr Hodson says the two programmes - SAID (Stop Alcohol Impaired Drivers) and Drive Soba are designed to help these drivers stop making poor decisions that lead to their driving under the influence of alcohol.

SAID is administered through RoadSafe Northland with funding coming from the New Zealand Transport Agency, Northland District Health Board and International Safer Communities.

RoadSafe Northland Co-odinator Gillian Archer says the programme is free and participants attend once a week for two hours over a three week period.
It is available to anyone who has a first or second drink driving offence or would like support to stop drink driving.

"It may be someone who has one conviction or feels they have a problem. People can self-refer to the programme or they can be referred by a family member, friend or doctor."

The programme started in June last year and the people who took part in the course between June and December have not re-offended.

Gillian says people who drink and drive are not always alcoholics. The common themes are poor planning, poor decision making, falling into bad habits and thinking they are not over the alcohol limit.

Drive Soba is run by the Northland District Health Board.
Programme Co-ordinator Bronwen Wood says the programme offers group sessions for two hours each week for 12 weeks.

The programme is for people who have been convicted for a third and subsequent drink driving offence.

It is a more intensive course than SAID.

Bronwen says SAID and Drive Soba are comprehensive programmes that drive permanent behaviour change.

"They focus on the offender's behaviour, poor problem solving abilities and lack of empathy for victims. People who drink and drive often cannot see alternatives to stopping their behaviour and these programmes offer those alternatives."

Murray says Police enforcement of drink driving alone will not stop the problem and community programmes like these will help, so we encourage people to seek help.

"Friends and family can also play a part by encouraging people to come forward and get help.

We want to stop people becoming victims of serious or fatal crashes. It is better to prevent the trauma and not have to pick up the pieces or tell families that a loved one has died or being seriously injured."

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