Editorial: Will we ever learn?

OPINION: When it comes to slow learners, South Canterbury's contingent of drink drivers are in a class of their own.

After decades of lecturing, blitzes, booze buses, and millions of dollars spent on publicity and public education campaigns, the number of drink-drivers getting caught is on the rise.

The region's top policeman, Dave Gaskin, was dismayed this week when the number of drink-drivers caught in 2009 was added up.

In 2099 549 drivers were caught driving while over the legal limit, 7 per cent up on 2008, which in turn was a terrible year, with offenders getting caught increasing by 10 per cent on the year before.

A statistician would point out that, while the number of drivers getting caught is still increasing, the rate of growth is slowing. That is cold comfort for what Mr Gaskin correctly described as a "shameful" result.

There are a myriad of reasons why people drink then drive. Alcoholism is a vicious disease and those with the problem will no doubt make up a good proportion of the total. Many of them will be recidivist drink-drivers.

The disease is still no excuse for drinking and driving.

For many others on the list the offence will be a lapse in judgment, where they have thought they are fine to drive after "just a couple" but actually been over the line.

Again, there can be no excuse. If you have the slightest doubt, you should not drive.

The 549 people caught over the drink driving limit will presumably believe the limit is too low. There are compelling arguments for lowering it further because the truth is that the message is still not getting through and will probably never will unless something radical is done.

The Law Commission has proposed lowering the adult drink-driving limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg per 100ml.

Police believe this would save 12 lives a year, along with preventing up to 350 serious injuries caused by drink-drive accidents.

The biggest problem with our limit – which is relatively high – is the confusion it causes.

As this newspaper has argued before a lower limit – where you are in the danger zone after a second drink – would be far simpler for motorists to comprehend.

The rule would be simple – any more than one drink and you are at risk. Easy.

The frightening thing about the drink-drive numbers is that they are likely to be just the tip of the iceberg. In a rural area such as South Canterbury, it is impossible to catch everyone who opts to get behind the wheel whilst three sheets to the wind.

Over the years penalties have been toughened, advertisements have become progressively more graphic and the powers-that-be have racheted the public humiliation aspect of the offence up, to the point where drink-drivers are known as bloody idiots. And still the numbers rise. All of which goes to prove there really is no cure for stupidity.

- © Fairfax NZ News