WELLINGTON, May 12 (Xinhua) -- A sharp rise in roadside breath testing has contributed to a nearly 40 percent drop in alcohol-related road deaths in 2024, a government statement said on Monday, the start of Road Safety Week.
The Road Policing Investment Program is delivering significant results, with alcohol-related fatalities dropping from 92 in 2023 to 57 last year, the lowest annual road toll since 2014, the statement said.
More than 4.1 million breath tests were conducted in 2024, the highest ever recorded, and nearly 900,000 more than the year before, said Transport Minister Chris Bishop.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell said "alcohol and drugs are leading contributors to death and serious injury on our roads, and both random and selective breath testing is proven to discourage people from drinking and driving."
Drug-related crashes remain a concern, however, with 87 deaths in 2024 involving drivers who tested positive for drugs, and 21 involving both drugs and alcohol, statistics show.
To address this, the legislation passed in March enabled Police to begin roadside drug testing later this year.
The government is also cracking down on anti-social road use and illegal street racing, with a new legislation to be introduced in mid-2025 to destroy or forfeit convicted fleeing drivers, boy racers, and people participating in intimidating convoys. ■