Mr Rosa, a magistrate for 20 years following two decades as a defence lawyer, said he noticed blood alcohol readings were much higher than 10 years ago.

“We often speak about the ravages of methamphetamine these days, and when I first started practise it was heroin that was ravishing our community, but no one seems to pay much heed to alcohol,” he said.

“It’s been there and will continue to be there.”

He said the motorist was lucky he was alive and the crash didn’t involve the death of someone else.