The number of people caught drink driving on Western Bay of Plenty roads is down by almost half on the same time last year.

So far this year 122 people have been caught drinking and driving on the region's roads, compared to 204 people caught at the same time in 2012.

Police have increased road checkpoints, random road side breath testing and vehicle stops in a bid in reduce the number of people breaking the law on the roads.

For the wider Bay of Plenty district, police have caught 358 drink drivers compared to the 511 last year.

Bay of Plenty road policing manager and district youth and alcohol harm prevention coordinator, Inspector Kevin Taylor, says police have upped the number of vehicle stops, increased numbers of random breath tests and increased the number of checkpoints.

'Drivers' behaviour and attitudes to drink driving vary throughout the district. We find that rural New Zealand still has an attitude that enables drink driving, exhibited in people assisting others to actively avoid police checkpoints.

'A more mature and safer response would be to assist their friends and neighbours to avoid drink driving by not drinking and driving in the first place.”

Kevin says the number of drink drivers being caught is significantly lower this year to date compared to the same time last year.

'I would like to think this signals the start if a change in attitude and behaviour. Time will tell.”