Wellington, March 21 NZPA - The son of a mother-of-five killed by a woman fleeing a police checkpoint has called on the Government to take a much tougher stance on drink-drivers.

The New Zealand Herald reported that Penelope Rae Phillips, 52, was the woman who died in Blenheim on Friday night after a 20-year-old woman smashed into her car.

Her eldest son, Bradley Phillips said he and his siblings were devastated by the loss of their mother, who also has 10 grandchildren.

"She'd just dropped her friend off at home... then she was coming home herself and some immature little female takes her life."

He told the newspaper he was frustrated by the Government's eagerness to crush boy racers' vehicles, while letting drink-drivers keep theirs.

Mr Phillips said Transport Minister Steven Joyce needed to come down harder on drink-drivers.

He believed police should be able to remove keys from vehicles as soon as the driver failed a breath test.

Police stopped the 20-year-old local woman at a police checkpoint 400m away from the crash scene. They said she blew a positive result then sped away.

While officers scrambled to pursue her, the woman had struck the white Nissan Mrs Phillips was driving. She died at the scene.

A statement from Mr Joyce's office said the Government was preparing to release new drink-driving laws.

Charges have not yet been laid against the driver, but Tasman police district commander Gary Knowles said his officers were working on a criminal investigation.