Drinking? Don’t drive

Alcohol is the highest factor contributing to deaths and serious injuries crashes in the West Coast district. Between 2014 and 2023 there were 248 crashes involving alcohol on the West Coast, with alcohol contributing to 12.5% of road deaths and serious injuries. Most of these occur on the State Highway. People in our region continue to get behind the wheel in an impaired state after drinking over the legal limit.

This June, NZ Police, NZTA and partners are coming together with the Better Together campaign to collectively target people in West Coast-Tasman who still think it is acceptable to drink then drive.

Through education and advertising, people will be reminded of the consequences, which will be supported on the ground with vehicle checks, enforcement, and driver education. Together, we need to shift the attitudes and behaviours of our ‘drink drivers’ so they see themselves the same as ‘drunk drivers’.

This website has tips to help you make the safest choice when planning a night out, from having conversations with your mates, to exploring all the options available to get home safely. Find out more to keep yourself and others safe, because there’s more to lose than your licence.

Text and image: NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi

---

---