The facts about hardcore impaired drivers.

We are resolved to remove hardcore impaired drivers from New Zealand’s roads. These individuals typically:

• drive with a high blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .15 or above (almost twice the legal New Zealand limit),
• do so repeatedly, as demonstrated by having more than one drunk driving arrest, and
• are highly resistant to changing their behaviour despite previous sanctions, treatment, or education efforts.

While hardcore offenders constitute a relatively small number of drivers, they account for a disproportionately large share of drunk driving problems. For example, it is estimated that while drivers with BACs in excess of .15 are only 1% of all drivers on weekend nights, they are involved in nearly 50% of all fatal crashes at that time.

Hardcore drunk drivers do not consume alcohol in moderation and they show no respect the limits of the law. To reach a BAC of .15, a man weighing 80 kilos (176 pounds) would have to consume approximately seven drinks in one hour.

Research also has found that, compared to all drivers, hardcore offenders often are more aggressive, hostile, and thrill-seeking. Hardcore drunk drivers are also irresponsible, reckless, and abnormal in their drinking patterns and subsequent behaviour on the road. They tend to have much higher rates of alcoholism and alcohol-related problems, and are more likely to have a criminal record, to use drugs, and to have poor driving records. The New Zealand Police have recently commented on the increasing "casualness" of attitude of repeat offenders. In other words, they do not care.

Key Facts - the Peril of Our Roads

• For every 100 drunk drivers that kill themselves on the road, 56 of their passengers will also die with them and they will also kill 39 other sober innocent road users.
• Disqualifed drivers in fatal accidents are much more likely to be affected by alcohol (60 per cent) than drivers with a full licence (13 per cent)
• In 2006 driver alcohol and drug impairment was a contributing factor in 99 fatal traffic crashes and 409 serious injury crashes.
• In New Zealand only 5 per cent of drunk drivers undertake drug and alcohol assessment.
• The number of drink driving convictions is now rising by about 1000 a year.
• Drink driving rates have risen from 0.7 percent for late night drivers in 2004 to 0.9 per cent in 2006
• As crash severity increases, so does the contribution of alcohol. Between 2003 and 2006 driver alcohol was a factor in approximately 30 per cent of fatal crashes, 18 per cent of serious injury crashes and 11 per cent of minor injury crashes.
• Drivers with a BAC of .8 (the legal limit) are 16 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than a sober driver.
• At higher BACs levels of risk of crashes increases rapidly. For example, a driver with a BAC of .15 or above are over 200 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than the average non-drinking driver.
• The recent Public Attitudes to Road Safety Survey showed that less than 50 per cent of drivers now believe it is likely they will be stopped at a checkpoint. This is the lowest level since 1999.
• The average social cost of a fatal car accident is estimated to be $3,881,400 (2006)
• The total social cost of crashes involving driver drink and drugs was about $725 million in 2006.
• In January 2006 the Land Trasport Act was amended to reduce the mandatory minimum licence disqualification period to one year and one day, previously it was two years.

Sources:

Survey of public attitudes to road safety, 2006: Summary of results (Ministry of Transport)
Alcohol and Drugs Crash Facts July 2007 (Ministry of Transport)
Social Cost of Road Crashes and Injuries June 2007 (Ministry of Transport)