Drink-driving mothers arrested

Two mothers have been arrested for driving drunk with their children in their cars in Tauranga at the weekend.

Police say they are "dismayed" that any parent would put their child at such a great risk.

The first woman arrested was a 49-year-old Papamoa local who was caught driving on Devonport Rd at midnight on Friday.

Her breath-alcohol level was recorded in excess on 1030 micrograms. Her ten-year-old son was in the car at the time.

A 36-year-old woman was then caught at a police checkpoint just after 10pm on Saturday.

Her breath-alcohol level was in excess of 560 micrograms.

Her four-year-old daughter was in the car at the time.

Sergeant Roser of the Western Bay of Plenty Traffic Alcohol Group said that he was dismayed at the arrests.

Mr Roser said that there was no way a person could think they were alright to drive a car while that drunk.

"The risks posed by drunken idiotic drivers to other road users are real, significant and can occur at any time," Mr Roser said.

He urged all drivers to drive completely sober as any alcohol slows reactions - which could be vital to avoid those people on the roads that make the conscious decision to drive drunk.

He called drunk drivers "a crash looking for a place to happen."

- © Fairfax NZ News