A show of force
DRINK drivers are continuing to tempt fate, despite the highly visible fact that police are out in force.
The most alarmingly arrest this week, saw a 50-year-old caught driving through a school zone at three times the legal limit, as students crossed the road.
The detection of the middle-aged man came as police started ramping up their Easter blitz and despite saturation warnings about the need to drive to the rules.
Police will allege the man was stopped in a school zone outside Coffs Harbour High School on Thursday at 8am after an all-night binge.
"The most concerning thing about this is that this driver was well affected by alcohol and was driving in the vicinity of a high school, as students crossed the road to make their way to the final day of school," Highway Patrol's Senior Constable Matt Conroy said.
"This driver told police he was on his way home after a party.
"This type of incident is just astounding given the media coverage our latest drink driving blitz has had this week."
After returning a positive roadside reading the man was taken to the Coffs Harbour Police Station where he was breath analysed.
Police will allege he blew 0.153, a high range reading which will land him in court later this month.
The arrest comes in a week of shameful drink-driving on Coffs Coast roads.
Last weekend 17 people, mainly young men, were caught running the gauntlet over a four day period.
Coffs Harbour Inspector Brendan Gorman said he was horrified by the total disregard shown by motorists to their own safety and the law.
"Seventeen people arrested over a four-day period for drink-driving is ridiculous," Inspt. Gorman said.
"Motorists need to get the message that drink-driving is dangerous and will not be tolerated.
"What is more concerning is the statistic that 15 of the 17 drivers were men and seven of these motorists were inexperienced with provisional licences.
"Of those motorists stopped, five allegedly returned positive breath tests and later returned blood-alcohol readings ranging between 0.050 and 0.150."
With extra police resources on duty, stationary RBTs units and roaming patrols, police guarantee if you drink drive this Easter, you're an idiot and you'll lose your licence.
