Tougher speeding and drink driving enforcement measures announced
December 2003

The Minister of Transport has announced a new enforcement package to support the aim of reducing the road toll to no more that 300 road deaths and 4,500 hospitalisations a year by 2010. There were 404 people killed on New Zealand roads in 2003. As at 15 December 2003, with the Christmas holiday period still to come that number had already been exceeded with 441 people killed.

The measures are designed to target the minority of people who repeatedly drive at unsafe speeds or when highly intoxicated. Measures include the removal of speed camera signs. Speed cameras can now be used "anywhere, anytime" across New Zealand.

Legislation will be drafted early in 2004 to enable the other measures to take place.

Speeding drivers will face immediate 28-day suspension of their licence for exceeding the permanent posted speed limit by 40 km/h. Excessive speed is the single biggest factor in road crashes and contributed to 30% of all fatal crashes in 2002.

Drinking drivers will face a new penalty of immediate 28-day licence suspension for a driver with a blood alcohol level exceeding 80mg / 100ml or breath equivalent, where that person has a previous drink drive conviction in the past 4 years.

There will be a new penalty of immediate 28-day impoundment of the vehicle of a driver with a blood alcohol level exceeding 80mg/100ml or breath equivalent, where that person has two previous drink drive convictions in the past 4 years.

Any driver with a blood alcohol level of 130 mg/100ml will immediately lose their licence for 28 days. The current trigger point is 160mg / 100ml.

In 2000 there were 6,615 people convicted of driving with high Blood Alcohol Content (over 160mg / 100ml) or refusing to comply with testing procedures. Of those 2,728 had at least one previous alcohol offence in the previous 5 years.

Over the past five years serious drink-drivers (over 160mg / 100ml) were responsible for 193 road deaths and 1,725 injuries. In 2002 there were 530 vehicles confiscated from drunk drivers. These new penalties are on top of the existing powers of the court, such as vehicle confiscation and imprisonment.

Drugged drivers are also to be targeted with a new offence of being impaired by illicit drugs while in control of a vehicle. The current situation is that a driver has to be incapable of having proper control of the vehicle.

These measures will make New Zealand roads safer for the average driver. Click here for tips on Holiday Driving.