A dad driving with his son in the car at Fairy Meadow on New Year’s Day has been charged with drink-driving.
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The man, a 25-year-old from Western Australia was travelling with his nine-year-old son along the Princes Highway when he was pulled over for a breath test.
He returned a breath analysis reading of 0.093 and was charged with mid-range drink-driving, police said.
The man was one of 63 drivers charged with drink-driving yesterday - 37 more than on the first day of 2012.
He was also one of two fathers caught with their children in the car.
An unlicensed 33-year-old man was caught drink-driving at Riverstone, in Sydney’s northwest, just before 6pm (AEDT), police said.
It’s alleged the man, who had his five-year-old daughter with him in the car at the time, returned a breath-analysis reading of 0.090.
He has been charged with mid-range drink-driving and unlicensed driving.
Meanwhile, a 49-year-old woman allegedly returned a breath-analysis reading more than five times the legal limit after being pulled over at Banora Point, on the state’s far north coast, about midnight.
She has been charged with high-range drink-driving and her licence was confiscated.
Superintendent Bob Ryan, from Traffic & Highway Patrol Command, said the spike in drink-driving charges this New Year’s Day was ‘‘of extreme concern’’.
‘‘It’s simply alarming that despite all the safety warnings about the dangers of drink-driving there were 63 people that chose to get behind the wheel drunk,’’ he said.
So far this holiday season, officers have breathalysed 447,230 motorists and charged 676 of them with drink-driving offences - 126 fewer charges than for the same period last year.
‘‘It’s obvious yesterday’s spike in offences is the result of partygoers getting on the drink to welcome in the New Year and then jumping in the car and driving home,’’ Superintendent Ryan said.
‘‘It’s incredibly irresponsible, dangerous and criminal that anyone would drive in that state.’’