And the analysis by NRMA-ACT Road Safety Trust shows more than 120 ACT drivers were caught over the limit in the Queanbeyan area.

The figures, based on court files from 2006-07, show 78 people who appeared before a magistrate had recorded at least three drink-driving offences.

The analysis of more than 1200 drink-driving cases comes after the ACT recorded record numbers of drink-drivers in the last financial year, with 1789 people caught.

The president of the Road Safety Trust, Professor Don Aitken, said the recent report showed a culture change was needed.

He said Canberrans needed to embark on a change in attitudes towards drink-driving in a similar way to the adoption of seatbelts and other safety measures.

Professor Aitken said motorists needed to start viewing driving as a privilege, rather than a right.

''We take the car for granted and we take the right to use it for granted and we assume crashes happen to other people,'' he said.

The report, issued yesterday, gives a full analysis of the numbers of people who appeared before the court in the 12-month period.

Civic had clearly the largest number of residents booked, with 97 before the courts, while Kambah was next with 53 people convicted.

The next highest number of convictions were in Braddon, Kaleen, Belconnen and Dunlop.

The figures show nearly one in seven Civic residents appeared on drink-driving charges.

Professor Aitken said the statistics revealed recidivism was a large problem in drink-driving.

He said about a quarter of those appearing in court had prior convictions for drink-driving, and 18 had five or more prior convictions.

''We have a basic problem with people who are beset by alcohol people who simply can't exist without grog. The courts have very little opportunity to improve the error of their ways,'' he said.

Professor Aitken said the ACT Government should consider implementing ideas such as impounding cars of persistent drink-driving offenders. Penalties were not providing a significant deterrent.

''We have [existing] measures to deal with it, but it doesn't appear to be working, so the next stage would appear to be to impound the car,'' he said.

Professor Aitken said he agreed with Chief Minister Jon Hargreaves' proposal to name and shame drink-drivers. But while it would work on most law-abiding citizens, repeat offenders would not be deterred.

''The small group that we've been talking about, they're past the naming and shaming,'' he said.