Backstreet drink drivers targeted | Canterbury News | Local News in Canterbury

Think you can drink and drive and get away with it by taking the back streets home?

Think again.

Police are targeting quieter suburban streets and roads in a bid to change drivers' mindsets from thinking that if they stay off main arterial routes, they will not be stopped.

Acting Sergeant Clay Penrose of the police's Traffic Alcohol Group said the new approach was about sending a clear message to drivers that they could be stopped "anywhere at anytime".

Booze bus checkpoints had been set up on streets across the city that were often used by drivers hoping to avoid the busier arterial roads.

Streets they have targeted in recent weeks have included England St in Linwood; Springfield Rd in St Albans; Amyes Rd in Hornby; Lyttelton St in Spreydon, Union St in New Brighton; and Clarence St in Riccarton.

The 'unpredictable' approach, which has been implemented over recent months, is a move away from solely policing busy roads like Harper Ave and Fendalton Rd.

And Acting Sergeant Penrose said police were finding just as many drink-drivers as they did on the more obvious routes.

About 13 drivers stopped at the above checkpoints were found to be over the legal drink-driving limit.

Acting Sergeant Penrose said while police were still targeting the arterial routes, police had found drivers who had reason to have a guilty conscience would often avoid the most obvious way home.

"People have this mindset - 'If I don't drive home on a main arterial route, the chance of seeing a police car is reduced.' That is the wrong mindset. The mindset should be, 'If I've been drinking and think I've had too many, I shouldn't drive'," he said.

"Just because you live 500 yards from a local drinking establishment ... don't think you can take the back streets home now, because the likelihood is increasing that you may be stopped."

Senior Sergeant Trevor Pullen said alcohol was a major contributor to road trauma, and the idea of unpredictable checkpoints was to deter people from drink-driving in the first place.