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Motoring and cycling organisations have reacted positively to the Transport Ministry's new 10-year road safety strategy.
Young drivers, drunk drivers - over-represented in the death and injury statistics - are among the main targets of the Safer Journeys strategy , as the government proposes raising the driving age to 16, introducing tougher restricted licence testing, a zero drink-drive limit for drivers under 20 and looking into reducing the adult blood alcohol limit from 80mg/100ml (0.08) to 50mg/100ml (0.05).
Automobile Association (AA) spokesman Mike Noon says the organisation is "pretty happy" with the strategy because it focusses on high risk areas.
The AA supports zero alcohol for youth, however, Noon says the drivers who are killing themselves are not recording blood alcohol levels between 0.05 and 0.08, but two thirds of them are over 0.16 (160mg).
"At that level you have trouble standing up. More assessment is needed of those caught with high limits. We don't want these drivers to be driving again. Driving is a privilege, if you have been drinking we need to be protected from you."
The AA is keen to see an increased amount of driver supervision to about 120 hours when currently learner drivers are only getting between 25 and 35 hours "and that's being generous".
The AA also supports the strategy's proposal to get rid of New Zealand's right hand rule at intersections.
There is evidence that the give way rules are a factor in the 2560 intersection crashes, and one or two deaths, each year.
The current give way rule was introduced in 1977 and holds that the car turning right across the oncoming stream of traffic has precedence over the car turning left with the traffic behind it.
New Zealand is the only country in the world to have the right hand rule.
The Cycling Advocates Network (CAN) and BikeNZ welcomed the Safer Journeys announcement on Wednesday.
"Safer speeds, safer roads, action on raising driving standards and educating school children will benefit the more than 1.2 million New Zealanders who ride bikes," CAN chairman Bevan Woodward says.
But he says New Zealand's road death rate is double that of the UK.
"It is not acceptable that cyclists and pedestrians account for 30% of deaths in urban areas. We need to take bold action to improve the situation, reducing speed limits and providing safer conditions for cyclists and motorists alike," he says.
Proposed rule changes will be taken to Cabinet in April.
Transport Minister Steven Joyce will seek then to either lower the adult alcohol limit or conduct research into how much safer drivers were with a 0.05 limit than 0.08.
He stressed on Wednesday no decision has been made on reducing the blood alcohol limit.
What do you think about the 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.