Vic: Drink driving blitz shows Melbourne CBD has a problem

AAP General News (Australia)
04-22-2006
Vic: Drink driving blitz shows Melbourne CBD has a problem

MELBOURNE, April 22 AAP - One in 84 motorists tested in a Victorian police blitz on
drink driving was over the legal limit.

A total of 4,800 motorists in Melbourne were tested, with 58 motorists - one in every
84 - detected as being over the legal drink driving limit.

Police said the operation, which had been well publicised, included testing units set
up at seven points on major roads in and out of the city.

"The results confirmed our previous thoughts - there is a clear drink driving problem
in the CBD," Superintendent Mick Williams said today.

"It is not decreasing, if anything it is on the increase.

"It appears irrelevant whether we provide motorists with advanced warning or not of
booze operations.

"There are still those motorists who are prepared to take the risk."

The highest blood alcohol reading detected in last night's operation was .221 per cent
recorded by a man in his 30s.

Similar drink driving operations conducted last February and December had detected
103 and 100 motorists exceeding the 00.05 limit.

In those cases between 7500 and 8000 people were screened.

Last night just 4900 motorists were tested.

"One in every 84 of those motorists are incapable of being in control of a car, it
very, very frightening," Superintendent Williams said.

AAP jmw/arb

KEYWORD: BLITZ

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