Southland Police impounded 22 vehicles in an operation to designed to remove unfit and unsafe vehicles from the roads.

Road Policing manager Senior Sergeant Brent Kingsland says the aim was also to disrupt anti-social drivers from causing harm, particularly in Invercargill.

Over the course of the operation, 22 vehicles were impounded following failed inspections, nine were pink stickered*, four were green stickered and eight motorists were found to be driving with excess breath alcohol.

Kingsland says vehicle modifications pose a huge risk to the safety of the driver and their passengers and every other motorist these vehicles share the road with.

"This work is important as it saves lives and shows that Police are committed to keeping our roads safe.

"We know that driving under the influence and operating an unsafe vehicle can have fatal consequences.

"At the end of the day, we want everyone to get home safely and operations like these contribute to achieving that aim."

Checkpoints were conducted in Wilton through to central Invercargill and saw hundreds of vehicles stopped over the course of last weekend.

"Overall, people here in Southland were driving safely, but we are glad to have prevented the handful of motorists who were not, from causing any harm."

If you see anyone driving dangerously or see vehicles with modifications, please contact Police on 111 if it is happening or 105 after the fact.

• A pink sticker is affixed to an unsafe vehicle, and the vehicle has been ordered off the road. It is not to be driven at all until rechecked and issued with a valid certificate of fitness or warrant of fitness. A green sticker means the vehicle doesn't meet the rules and regulations to be driven on NZ roads. The vehicle may be able to be driven away with some conditions, or if the fix can be effected on the side of the road. If not, the vehicle must be tested and issued a new WoF.