'Beyond alarming': Police concerned over rural alcohol checkpoint results

Police have described the number of drivers caught in alcohol checkpoints in rural north Canterbury as "beyond alarming".

Three alcohol checkpoints were held in the area last night, with16 drivers processed over the course of two-and-a-half hours.

Acting Canterbury rural area commander Insp Hirone Waretini said that number over such a short time frame was "beyond alarming".

"Every one of the people stopped could have represented a death or serious injury and a tragedy for families of them and anyone they could have affected," he said.

"We need people to understand drinking and driving can have devastating results, and we hope these people realise that being caught by us is actually the least serious thing that could happen."

He said he hoped it would serve as a wake-up call.

"We'll keep doing this until the message gets through."

The national road toll stands at 178, after a horror recent Queen's Birthday Weekend on the roads.

Six people were killed during the weekend, double the amount who died in 2018. 

Newshub.