“The Don’t drink and drive message is widely acknowledged and accepted by most New Zealanders. Yet each year, more than 400 people continue to be seriously injured or killed on New Zealand roads because of drink-driving. Nearly two-thirds of the alcohol-affected drivers in these crashes are aged 25 years and older.

Our recent advertising has purposely focused on a hard-to-reach, core group of young male drunk drivers, 20 – 29 years of age. However, this campaign looks more broadly at a wider drink driving audience. Its focus is predominantly males over the age of 25 years who continue to drive after more than a few drinks and it reminds them that the ‘don’t drink and drive’ message applies to them too. Fairly complacent, these guys have established their own limits for drinking and driving. They drink regularly, and they drink a lot; for these guys, drinking a few times a week is the norm. It’s normal for them to have their car with them too so it’s easy to end up ‘past it’ with the car when drinking is so routine. Alternatives to driving are known to them but get dismissed as unpractical – they need their car the next day.”

Find more from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (New Zealand, 2019)