Citation

Bailey JPM. Proc. Int. Counc. Alcohol Drugs Traffic Safety Conf. 1995; 1995: 834-839.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, The author(s) and the Council, Publisher International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Compulsory Breath Testing (CBT) was introduced in New Zealand on I April 1993, following nine years of Random Stopping. Passive alcohol detectors were used for the initial screening. The targeted rate of stopping, of 1.5 million drivers annually, was not achieved in the first four months of operation, but was met by the end of the first year. Paid publicity was largely limited to the first three months. Evaluation was made difficult by the merger of the Ministry of Transport enforcement operations with those of the Police, in July 1992, and an intense drink driving enforcement blitz in December 1992, prior to the introduction of CBT. There was a reduction in reported drink driving injury accidents and in the proportion of all reported injury accidents which were alcohol related, subsequent to the campaign in December 1992. The reduction continued for some months after the introduction of CBT in April 1993. Alcohol related accidents and accidents at night time decreased significantly more than did non alcohol related accidents or accidents during the day. A greater reduction occurred in urban areas than in rural areas.