Police with breathalyser units may soon be visiting pubs and other drinking places to dissuade people from drink-driving, according to the head of the police traffic headquarters, Chief Superintendent Blake Hancock.
At present police conduct breath tests only after accidents or when a motorist is seen driving dangerously, but the number of drink-driving cases has been rising.
The number of cases rose 6.8 per cent last year, police statistics show - 1,485 drink-driving cases last year compared with 1,390 in 2003.
'One of the initiatives we were discussing is bringing those machines to certain locations to allow people to test themselves as a public relations exercise - not as an enforcement exercise,' Mr Hancock said.
This would 'keep people's awareness up as to whether they are over the legal limit'.
He said the scheme might be launched outside popular drinking areas.