Alcohol impairment, impatience and fatigue remain major concerns for Bay of Plenty Police as New Year celebrations ramp up.

Bay of Plenty district road policing manager Inspector Phil Gillbanks said the region’s road toll was lower than last year, but that could change quickly.

“A couple more fatal crashes could dramatically change that,” he said. “Driving impaired and speeding are common factors in crashes, along with impatience and fatigue.”

Gillbanks recently joined an alcohol impairment team on patrol in Pāpāmoa, where officers stopped a few hundred vehicles in just over an hour.

Among them were three alcohol‑impaired drivers, all stopped between 3pm and 4.30pm.

Gillbanks said two drivers blew over the adult infringement limit of 250 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath and received infringement notices.

A third blew more than 400mcg and will appear in court.

Anyone recording more than 400mcg faces a criminal conviction and a mandatory licence disqualification of at least six months, with longer penalties for repeat offenders.

In the nine months to September 30, more than 1100 drivers were caught drink‑driving across the Bay of Plenty district, including 283 in Rotorua and 481 in the Eastern Bay.

Bay of Plenty Police district’s 2025 road toll is down on the number in 2024, and police urged motorists to keep it that way by obeying the road rules. PHOTO/ NZME

Gillbanks said impatience behind the wheel was another growing concern.

“Impatient drivers take big risks, such as speeding and overtaking in unsafe places,” he said. “As we head into the New Year, if you want to get home safely, take your time and do the right things behind the wheel.”

Drug impairment, along with “sleep‑deprived drivers” travelling in and out of the region, added further risk during the busy holiday period.

Wet and windy conditions forecast for the coming days meant drivers needed to adjust, Gillbanks said: slow down, increase following distances, wear seatbelts and put phones away.

Bay of Plenty district road policing manager Inspector Phil Gillbanks. Photo / NZME

He also urged slower drivers to pull over when queues formed behind them.

“We don’t need self‑imposed traffic moderators. Letting others pass safely reduces frustration and congestion. When drivers get impatient, they take unnecessary risks.”

Police will continue targeting these “risk‑taking behaviours” throughout the holiday period.

“It only takes a couple more fatal crashes to undo all the hard work,” Gillbanks said. “Do the right thing, follow the rules, and everyone should get home safely.”

Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 25 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.