Selwyn Times: September 26,

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2018 Locally Owned www.star.kiwi GET CONNECTED WITH Scorch Broadband Quarry fight Petition will be taken ‘seriously’ by ECan Page 5 Page 23 Disappointing loss Country team thrashed by Canterbury Maori 0800 726 724 www.scorch.co.nz Older motorists more likely to drink and drive • By Georgia O’Connor-Harding POLICE HAVE moved to clamp down on a drink driving culture they say has existed in the district for decades. Older drivers are the main culprits, police say. Major checkpoints have been set up in Lincoln and Leeston in recent weeks. Said Senior Sergeant Kelly Larsen: “I am really concerned about the level of drink driving I am seeing and anecdotally I am hearing about out here,” she said. On Thursday, three drink drivers were stopped by patrols in Lincoln before 7.30pm. Two Friday nights ago, a Kelly Larsen major checkpoint was set ISSUE: Police are clamping down on drink drivers in Selwyn. Patrols have been set up in Lincoln and Leeston in recent weeks. up in James St, Lincoln, near the primary school. Police vehicles were stationed on nearby roads to stop motorists trying to avoid the checkpoint. Senior Sergeant Larsen said yesterday the number of drivers caught over the limit – if any – were not available. “It is not (just) a Lincoln issue, it is a rural Canterbury issue,” she said. Leeston was the focus of a major drink driving operation on Friday and Saturday. No one was caught over the limit, she said. Senior Sergeant Larsen said generally the drink driving problem was with older drivers. “It is a generalisation, younger people tend to be more responsible around their decision-making with drink driving . . . they have grown up with the fact that drink driving is unacceptable. “It is the older demographic who are continuing behaviours for the last 20 to 30 years.” Senior Sergeant Larsen said the issue was district-wide. “I get that there are limited public transport options but for too long people living in rural communities have thought it was okay to go to the pub and drink and drive to get home. It is not okay.’’ •Turn to page 7 Spring release in Rolleston Strong demand over winter has meant we can add 40 new sections in time for spring. Drop in to our sales and information office, 17 Branthwaite Drive, Thursdays, Fridays or Sundays from 1pm to 3pm to find out more. Contact us on 03 741 1340 or mail enquiries@yoursection.nz