Transport Minister Simeon Brown. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
The government aims to test just over 3.3 million drivers a year in its plan to increase roadside tests for drink and drug-impaired drivers.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is launching a $1.3 billion Road Policing Investment Programme which will run for the next three years.
He said 65 percent of breath tests will be done at high or extreme alcohol risk times.
The scheme will also have a target of carrying out 50,000 drug tests per year.
Brown said another priority will be speeding on open roads and at high-risk locations.
"This plan has a clear focus on outcomes and has clear targets to ensure police are focused on the most high-risk times, behaviours, and locations.
"The plan will ensure police target speeding offences on high-risk roads, a clear focus on drugs and alcohol enforcement to deter impaired drivers and expects police to focus on the key times and locations where the highest risk on our roads occur."
He said alcohol and drugs are the number one contributing factor in fatal road crashes.
"Over 2019-2022, crashes involving drug drivers claimed the lives of an average of 105 people each year and represented around 30 per cent of all road deaths.
"The plan increases the alcohol breath testing target from 3 million tests to 3.3 million tests per year and introduces a new target for at least 65 percent of alcohol breath tests to be undertaken during the most high and extreme alcohol risk times.
"New Zealand has an inconsistent record with breath tests. Over the past ten years, there are only two in which police have conducted 3 million tests. Some years have delivered less than half of that number.
"We know that breath tests have a clear deterrent effect on people who risk drinking and then driving, and we are determined to see more breath tests undertaken so Kiwis are safer on our roads."
Brown said $72 million of funding over three years will be available as an incentive payment to police to ensure performance against speed, alcohol, and drug enforcement targets.
He said the funding will be released based upon targets being achieved.
However, the Police Association is questioning whether there will be enough officers to meet the new road policing goals.
Association president Chris Cahill said there may not be enough staff to do the job.
He said the fact that alcohol testing targets have only been met twice out of the past ten years shows there simply are not enough resources.
There are just under 1070 frontline road policing officers across the country.
