Girl, 15, caught driving drunk dad home in Darwin's rural area: police

A 15-year-old girl will have to face court after her father made her drive him home because he was drunk, according to police.

Northern Territory police said the pair were pulled over in the Darwin suburb of Winnellie on Friday after officers noticed the man was not wearing a seatbelt.

Duty Superintendent Rob Burgoyne said the man's actions were ill considered.

"Getting an underage person to drive is obviously not the way to go," he said.

"No matter what the situation is and how much experience the young person has it's just not something that you should put someone that young under pressure to do."

He said the pair were headed to Humpty Doo, about 40 kilometres from Darwin city.

Supt Burgoyne warned drivers ahead of the Christmas holiday period not to use their children as the means to get home after drinking.

"With the festive season coming up it's something that should be put right out of the mind," he said.

"If they are a bit over the limit they should either get a sober driver or gets a taxi or some form of other transport."