COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL - FREE BREATH TESTING THIS WEEKEND
(23-Jan-10)

Festival motorists can take advantage of the free courtesy road side breath testing stations set up by Tamworth Regional Council this weekend. 

The two free services set up on the northern and southern exits of the city will provide people with a reliable way to see whether they are safe to drive home. 

From 9am to 6pm this Sunday and Monday, drivers can test themselves at the Driver Reviver site on Armidale Road. 

There will also be a station operating this Sunday only from 7am to midday on the Sydney Road, across from the Golden Guitar. 

Council’s Road Safety Officer, Paul Hobson is surprised at the numbers of people that don’t realise they can still be over the limit the morning after a big night out on the town.

“At the Sydney Road site there is usually around 200 breath tests conducted over a six hour period.  Of those, over 10 % are usually found to be over the legal limit”, he said. 

He said many people were shocked to find out they still had alcohol in their systems.  

“We find that people know about the risks of drinking driving the night of the event, but forget that they still could be over the limit the following day,” Mr Hobson said.

Before starting the journey back home, everyone should consider if they’re right to drive and time is the only remedy to remove alcohol from the body.

Provisional license holders are also warned to be extra vigilant in monitoring their alcohol consumption with the introduction of zero alcohol limits. 

Police will conduct random breath testing in and around Tamworth this weekend.  “Please be aware, if you decide to drive out to use the breath testing service - you run the risk of being booked if you still have an illegal amount of alcohol in your system,” Mr Hobson said. 

“If there is any doubt, the best option is to wait.”  

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND MEDIA COMMENT:
Contact: Paul Hobson on (02) 6767 5495 or 0427 662 696