Western Bay of Plenty police are pleased with the lower than usual number of drink drivers caught in the region over the weekend as part of Operation Unite.

Inspector Karl Wright-St Clair believes the wet weather contributed to the lower number of drink driving arrests.

Police in the Western Bay participated in Operation Unite, the alcohol harm and reduction campaign conducted during a 12 hour period overnight Friday.

The operation was carried out simultaneously by police across New Zealand and Australia.

In that 12 hour period, 746 vehicles were stopped in the Western Bay and five drink drivers arrested.

For the entire weekend, 3400 vehicles were stopped in the region and 15 drink drivers taken off the road.

'That's about half of what we would normally get. I think the weather played a major factor, it often has an affect on policing,” says Karl.

A total of 37,504 motorists were stopped by all police during Operation Unite and 263 tested positive for alcohol.

Tauranga police made 23 further arrests during the weekend, mostly for alcohol related violence and disorder.

At least 33 per cent of all police recorded offences in 2008/2009 were committed by people who had consumed alcohol prior to committing offences, according to Tauranga police.

Karl says drink driving is involved in 50 per cent of fatal motor accidents in the Western Bay.