The alcolizer, which has been at the Burrendong Kiosk since December, has been used regularly according to manager Val Newall.

She said she had witnessed a number of people make mature decisions about driving after taking the test.

“It is free to use which is a great incentive,” Mrs Newall said.

“We have noticed that middle-aged people and those in the under-25 bracket use it more often than others.”

Signs promoting the tester have been erected across the park and have proved to be useful in letting visitors to the area know about the machine.

“They love coming in and looking for it,” Mrs Newall said.

“The signs have really helped people to think about taking a test.”

Wellington Council roads safety officer Kristine Long began the campaign late last year and because of its success at the site, she said the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) had granted a long-term loan of the alcolizer.

“It is calibrated regularly by the RTA, but it is very important to remember, it is just a guide,” she said.

“It can’t be used as an official reading in the court of law.

“People need to remember after you stop drinking, your blood-alcohol concentration continues to rise up to two hours after your last drink. People need to take that into account.”

Ms Long was alerted to the number of drink drivers leaving the tourist attraction by Orana Highway.

“They said drivers from the dam were taking unnecessary risks and that a lot were over the limit,” she said.

“This was particularly along Burrendong Way.

“RTA statistics show that from 2003 to 2007, alcohol was a contributing factor in 7.2 per cent of crashes, and 50 per cent of these drivers have an illegal blood alcohol concentration.

“These are usually fatal or serious crashes and occur more in the middle-age group than in the younger one.”

The slogan for the campaign is ‘take a breath test here, not on the side of the road’.