Subscribe to RSSDermits Not Fines For Speeding
If you are caught speeding you may end up with demerit points not fines from now on.
That’s among the measures the transport minister announced today as part of the next step in the Government’s Safer Journeys programme.
Planned are to:
- Implement the young drivers package as passed by Parliament, including a tougher restricted license test (February 2012), increased minimum driving age (August 2011) and a zero blood alcohol limit (August 2011).
- Investigate maximum time limits for learner and restricted licences.
- Implementing the high risk drivers package as passed by Parliament, including alcohol interlocks (mid 2012), a zero blood alcohol limit for repeat drink drivers (mid 2012) and a doubling of penalties for dangerous driving causing death.
- Strengthen motorcycle license testing.
- Research on the impact of drivers under the influence of drugs and ways to combat drug-impaired drivers.
- Further safety improvements on high risk roads in both urban and rural areas.
- Rebalance speeding penalties in favour of demerit points, rather than fines.
- Encouraging the use of child restraints.
Mr Joyce says while a lot of progress has been made on road safety in recent years, there’s still a long way to go.
“Research and experience tells us that progressing these actions and implementing the legislation passed last week over the next two years can add to the improvements we’ve already made and help reduce New Zealand’s road toll.
“While there is a lot of work for the government to do, we need everybody to play a part to truly achieve a Safe System. This means road users as well as road builders, local government as well as central government. Everyone has a responsibility for road safety.”
4 Comments
this law needs to be changed from “you may” to “you are”
would be nice if it started straight away too!
The thing that annoys me most and ruins Auckland’s CBD are the car boys lapping the inner streets. It doesn’t make for a pleasant evening out at all.
Ok, so we are going from slow feedback that is perceptable to the average joe, to one that will read to several as “Nothing happens the first few times, then jail” .
Nice.
To be clear, I am in favor of fines, as long as concerns about income generating behaviour is addresed, as they are one of the few tangable feedback and warning measures available to our system. Without prompt and consistant feedback, negative behaviours do not change in people.
Jualia, well, what can we expect from a minister who (in the newest GPS) has just lowered the money available for road safety “to drive efficiencies”??? I hope the change doesn’t actually essentally abolish monetary fines.