Caught during operation

A Woy Woy man returned a blood alcohol level of 0.21 during day three of Operation Drink Drive.

The 26-year-old P1 licence holder was stopped by police in Woy Woy at 8.30pm on November 10.

Operation Drink Drive is held twice a year in the lead up to the Easter and Christmas periods and targets those people driving while affected by alcohol in both metropolitan and regional areas.

This year, police conducted 77,081 breath tests with 295 people charged.

Traffic services commander, Chief Superintendent John Hartley, said he was concerned by the number of drivers who had driven with illegal blood-alcohol levels.

"It is a proven risk to drive after drinking, and provisional licence holders must comply with a zero blood-alcohol level," Chief Superintendent Hartley said.

"However, I am encouraged by the fact that there have been two fewer fatalities on NSW roads during the operation, compared with last year when five people lost their lives.

"There have been fewer major crashes - 596 this year compared to the same time last year which recorded 615 major crashes - and I am hopeful that our safe driver messages are being heard."

Press release, 11 Nov 2007 NSW Police Media, NSW Police