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The government is considering lowering the alcohol limit for adult drivers as part of a range of measures announced on Wednesday to make roads safer.
Young drivers, drunk drivers and motorcyclists are also targeted in the new Transport Ministry 10-year road safety strategy Safer Journeys released by Transport Minister Steven Joyce on Wednesday morning.
Consideration will also be given to changing the give way rules for turning traffic. Read the full road safety strategy (pdf).
Joyce says Cabinet has not yet decided about whether or not to reduce the current adult blood alcohol limit from 80mg/100ml (0.08) to 50mg/100ml (0.05).
"This is a very finely balanced argument and we need to ensure that New Zealanders understand the difference between 0.05 and 0.08 and what impact a change would have on the road toll," Joyce says.
Australian guidelines say that for women (of average height and weight) 0.05 equated to one standard drink per hour. For men (again of average height and weight), it equated to two standard drinks in the first hour and one standard drink per hour afterwards.
A limit of 0.08 allows a man to consume six standard drinks within 90 minutes; for a woman it allows four standard drinks to be consumed.
Most New Zealanders, when asked, Joyce says, agree the limit should be lower but are split when asked if it should be lowered to 0.05.
"I've said all along that road safety measures only work if they have the broad support of road users - and we'd want to be sure New Zealanders understand the benefits of a change and support it before proceeding."
Crashes involving drugs and alcohol killed 119 people in 2008 and seriously injured 582 more people.
In April, Joyce will take to Cabinet a package to crack down on drink driving, including compulsory devices to lock up a vehicle if alcohol is detected, a zero drink-drive limit for repeat offenders, a zero drink-drive limit for drivers under 20, a review of traffic offences and penalties for repeat offenders and for charges of drink driving causing death and serious injury.
Joyce will also seek then to either lower the adult limit or conduct research into how much risk drivers who have between 0.05 and 0.08 alcohol in their blood are.
Measures tackling teen driver problems, already made public, have been confirmed. Joyce says he will take that package of measures to Cabinet this month to try to reduce high rates of youth involved in serious and fatal accidents.
The measures are:
Raising the driving age from 15 to 16;
Requiring novice drivers to have 120 hours' supervised practice before driving alone;
Better education;
An investigation into vehicle power restrictions.
The government will face opposition from groups, including farmers, over the age change.
Federated Farmers transport spokesman Donald Aubrey says: "This may work in Kelburn, but not in Kerikeri. Public transport is almost nonexistent in rural areas where driving isn't a rite of passage, it's an essential part of life."
Motorcyclists also get special attention with Cabinet to consider later in the year measures to improve motorcycle rider training and licensing and require licensing of mopeds. The Government also intends to introduce a power-to-weight restriction for novice riders which will be consulted on through the select committee process.
Changing the give way rule will also go to Cabinet later in the year and public input will be sought. The New Zealand Transport Agency will develop a mass media campaign before changes came in.
The Agency will also work on improving safety on high risk rural roads and high risk intersections and develop a classification system for the roading network.
What do you think about the proposed changes? Have your say on the messageboard below.
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Add a Comment:
Post new commentWai_boy said on 2012-02-27 @ 10:08 NZDT: Report abusive post
This is ridiculous, yes I understand our statistical rate is high however in NZ we have a wider issue relating to driver behaviour which youth of today see from the role model set by parents or adults. We have a culture of running red lights and everyone else driving is an inconvenience to us& thats what needs to change
GRACEKENNEDY said on 2011-07-13 @ 19:12 NZDT: Report abusive post
I strongly believe that changing the driving age in New Zealand is unnecessary. I feel this way because not only am I a responsible fourteen year old looking foward to getting my license but I know for a fact that car crashes often resulting in death and injury are generally due to alcohol related cases. A better solution would be to change the alcohol laws and to possibly increase the time a person is on their learners license.
steph_longstaff said on 2011-06-24 @ 09:43 NZDT: Report abusive post
I dont think the driving age should change. What needs to happen is the government needs to restrict the cc rating of cars that learners and restricted drivers can actully drive, i beleve that if we stop learners and restricted drivers driving fast cars this will stop the amount of crashes as they will actully be able to control the cars they drive.
hojksgd said on 2011-03-29 @ 18:28 NZDT: Report abusive post
The problem is not the people on learner licences because they usually have a responsible driver in the passenger seat, but it is the ease of which that a restricted licence can be gained which is the problem, people end up driving by themselves without enough experience on the road which is dangerous!
Charlottie269 said on 2010-09-22 @ 20:06 NZDT: Report abusive post
I am a 14 year old in the year above my age which means all my friends in my year can drive but i will miss out for an extra 12 months on top of the other 6 months. This new law change is only going to do 1 thing. Piss me and everyone of my friends around my age right off. This law is going to make no change to the amount of deaths because i believe its not the 15 year old learner drivers who are killing people. this law is just going to put a bad taste in my mouth for our current government.