New Zealand has a high rate of drink-driving in fatal and injury road accidents. In the city of Wellington, most first offenders are fined, and about equal proportions of repeat offenders are imprisoned and fined. In December 1988, the Government trebled the maximum fine for convicted drink-drivers. The author here reports his investigation of how the fines, actually given to drink-drivers, increased. The first survey was conducted in Wellington, and the second survey covered all major district courts in New Zealand. For these courts, charts are given of the ratios of 1990 to 1987 fines for drink-driving, 1990 average fines, and 1990 proportions of convicted drivers given periodic detention. Further charts are given about: (1) the relationship of fatal and injury road accidents to suspected drink-driving for 1987-91 (for fatalities) and 1985-91 (for injuries); (2) drink-driving tests and convictions for 1986-90; and (3) comparison of drink-driving data for 1988 and 1989. The increase in maximum fines was found to be associated with a smaller proportional increase in actual fines, and a small decrease in drink-driving accidents.
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