# Tough new driving laws in New Zealand



## Editor

Young people traveling to New Zealand to work or visit face tough new driving rules from Sunday 07 August. It will be against the law for drivers under the age of 20 to consume alcohol before driving, Transport Minister Steven Joyce has announced. The current blood alcohol limit for drivers under the age of 20 [...]

Click to read the full news article: Tough new driving laws in New Zealand...
Please come back to discuss the story here in this thread.


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## Song_Si

running in circles . . . a zero alcohol limit for under 20s driving, but no action on putting the alcohol age back up to 20 after it was reduced to 18 and has caused plenty of social problems. 

But some progress with the driving age being raised on 1 August from 15 to 16 years of age, I think 15 must have been one of the youngest ages in the world for a person to be able to have a car or motorbike licence.

The penalties have been too light in the past for drivers breaching conditions of their provisional or restricted licence, or driving while disqualified. 

Still a long way to go.


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## Song_Si

*Greg Murphy: "simplistic licensing system"*








*Murph slams NZ licensing system*
06/08/2011

*New Zealand motorsport star Greg Murphy has blasted the country's driver licensing system, saying it is "negligent" and largely responsible for our horrific road toll.*

The V8 Supercars driver and four-time Bathurst winner made the claims while he was in Richmond yesterday for the opening of a new tyre shop.

"New Zealand drivers don't understand how critical tyres are, because it's not part of the education or training side of driving. Tyres are the only bit connecting you to the road, so they need to be the right type of tyre for the conditions and they need to have the right pressure, the right tread depth."

Murphy said the lack of awareness of tyre safety was a result of the driver licensing system and regulations he considered "negligent". He said the Government's decision to increase the driving age was a step in the right direction but more changes were needed to make the roads safer.

"New Zealand drivers are unaware of most things because we have such a simplistic licensing system that allows anyone, regardless of skills, to get a licence. That's why we have had such a horrific road toll for so long.

"This government has been more proactive and done more for driver safety in the last two years than the last 10 governments. They have increased the driving age to 16, which has been a fantastic move, but we need to make more changes.

"I'd make lower blood alcohol for all drivers.

"We also need to restrict the power of cars young people can drive, and make practical driver training by professionals compulsory.

"There are a lot of very basic, simple skills that can be taught quickly that can save lives."


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## Song_Si

good news; esp the 50yr aspect, back then less than 20% number of vehicles on the roads and a population of 2.4m (now estimated at 4.4m)

*Road toll set to be lowest in 50 years*
1:51 PM Wednesday Dec 21, 2011

*The road toll this year is set to be the lowest in more than 50 years following a dramatic drop police have attributed to changing driver attitudes.*

With only 10 days left in the year, the official toll stands at 269 _ some 99 lower than last year.

Police said most New Zealand drivers had taken to heart messages around speed, drink driving and safety belts.

There was a real difference in behaviour on the roads, with average speeds down and traffic noticeably calmer.

Police would be more visible over the holiday period and would "relentlessly breath test all drivers, whatever the time of day''.

"We will also be stopping any driver we detect driving more than 4km/h over the speed limit during the official holiday period.

read more

*********

*but . . . some people never learn*
two items from today's news

*Woman texting before fatal crash - police*
A 37-year-old Hamilton woman believed to be texting while driving is dead following a head-on crash in the Waikato.
Police said three girls, aged between their late-teens and early-twenties, were travelling in the southbound car. They were taken to Waikato Hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries. 

*Arrest after girls hit by out-of-control car*
The disqualified driver who lost control and ploughed into two girls on a footpath in Manurewa was going about 103kmh in a 50kmh zone, police say. The two friends, aged eight and 11, were seriously injured in the crash on Wordsworth Rd at about 8pm.


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## Song_Si

*NZ Road Fatalities 2011*

*The provisional annual road toll for 2011 was 284, compared with 375 road deaths in 2010, 384 in 2009 and 366 in 2008.*

The last time the road toll was below 300 was in 1952 when 272 people died. At its peak, the road toll hit 843 in 1973.

The drop this year has been across the board. There have been substantially fewer deaths for drivers, passengers, and motorcyclists and across every age group except 40-year-olds to 59-year-olds. 

.... the last time New Zealand's road toll was at the current level was when the population was half its current size and only one-sixth of the number of cars were on the road.

source


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## vona62

If New Zealand government & police are serious about reducing death tolls first issue they should deal with is build safe roads instead of constantling blaming drivers, blaming speed, blaming youth etc etc. NZ has the worst cross country highways in any developed country. 
The long view (considered critical) for safe 100k plus driving is often less than 100m, roads a single lane and all bends. 

Time for NZ govt to get serious, spend money and take responsibility for avoidable deaths and injuries. If I lost someone due to an accident on a NZ major road/highway I would sue the Govt for neglect. 

NZ his speed roads are bloody awful, 1950's traffic engineering in 21st century. 

Next change required is to traffic police attitude - they are down right petty, small minded nitpickers and thats been the culture since 1950's. 

Example : Where else in the world would a driver get booked for having an accident that involved a poorly designed towed Uhire trailer flipping over. The driver was driving correctly within the speed limits, the trailer developed a speed wobble then flipped.

The young couples possession were destroyed their car damaged and then get a kicking from the police. I witnessed the incident (following) but police wouldn't accept my account, 'why' because I was a visitor on holiday.


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## topcat83

There are some roads which I think definitely should be upgraded - for example, SH2 between Pokeno and Ngatea. Instead of building the planned Maramarua bypass, they chose to limit the speed limit to 90 kph instead.

However, it should be recognised that we have a small population - about 5% of the population of the UK but with the same land area. We simply can't afford to upgrade all our main roads to dual carriageways and other roads suitable for fast driving. 

What a shame to hear about the young couple and their possessions. I can understand why the police felt the need to prosecute someone for it - but maybe it should have been the U-hire company for not providing a safe trailer.


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## Guest

Why would the Police want to prosecute the driver if he was obeying all the laws, seems a bit
of a Jobs Worth. I would have given them all the assistance they required.

Just looked at the Population figures - UK 62 Million and rising - NZ 4.434 Million.

Happy New Year to all - be there in June yabba dabba doooooooo


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## Song_Si

I am no fan of NZ roads, however they are what they are and unlikely to change/improve greatly - no budget funds; and as the tv ads (used to) say '_drive to the conditions_'.
The road toll for 2006-2010 were as follows: 393, 421, 366, 385, 375 - making 2011's toll of 284 look good in comparison.

Couldn't find a more recent story/stats for 2011 yet, this from Sept 2010. Makes for grim reading. 



> *NZ among world's worst for road fatalities*
> 24/09/2010
> 
> *New Zealand road deaths are among the highest in the world per capita, alongside Cambodia, Malaysia, Lithuania and Slovenia, new statistics show.*
> 
> Road-fatality figures from 33 countries released by the International Transport Forum (ITF) show New Zealand has the seventh-highest ratio of deaths per billion vehicle kilometres travelled and is the ninth highest in deaths per capita.
> 
> Transport Minister Stephen Joyce said the statistics proved that the road-safety improvements sought in the past decade had not eventuated.
> 
> "None of these results are news to me," he said.
> 
> The ITF data showed New Zealand had 9.1 deaths per billion vehicle kilometres travelled in 2008 – more than twice the lowest rate of 3.9 in Iceland. South Korea had the highest rate of 20.1 deaths.
> 
> Per capita, Kiwi road deaths last year were the ninth highest, with 8.9 deaths for every 100,000 residents.
> 
> This was higher than the figures for the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Hungary and more than double the figures of Norway, Israel, the Netherlands, Sweden and Britain.
> 
> Malaysia had the highest ratio, with 23.8 deaths, while Britain had the lowest at 3.8.


_Note:_ Meanwhile, here in Thailand a country with about the population of UK and area twice the size of NZ/UK, the reported death toll for the one-week New Year holiday break stands at 314 people dead. And this is an improvement - 11 down on NY 2010/11.


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## Song_Si

and the editorial from today's Dominion


> Speed, alcohol, impatience, fatigue, inattention. The causes of the crashes that claimed 18 lives in the Christmas holiday period were starkly illustrated by yesterday's front page putting a human face on the road toll. None of the deaths were caused by the roads. None appear to have had anything to do with the vehicles involved. All were preventable.
> 
> Together they form a microcosm of the carnage wrought on the roads every year. Trees and power poles do not suddenly leap out at unwary motorists. Corners do not suddenly become sharper. Almost every death, every road accident is a consequence of human error - whether it be driving an unsafe vehicle, driving drunk, speeding, falling asleep at the wheel, failing to adjust to the conditions, or misjudging a passing manoeuvre.
> 
> read more


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## anski

The numbers of road deaths might be going down but there are still far too many young people causing accidents by overtaking & speed.
During the last couple of weeks two teenage girls lost their lives as a result of not wearing seatbelts as passengers, the 20 year old driver was racing 2 other cars. His 2 year old daughter sitting in the front passenger seat was badly injured. The other 2 cars contained relatives that did not stop after the accident & one person was the 37 year old Mother of the deceased teenage girls! They have all been charged & awaiting trial.

This is only one story & I am sure the paramedics must be frustrated at what they encounter all because of stupid, selfish driving habits by young people under the influence of alcohol, drugs or too much testosterone!


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## topcat83

anski said:


> The numbers of road deaths might be going down but there are still far too many young people causing accidents by overtaking & speed.
> During the last couple of weeks two teenage girls lost their lives as a result of not wearing seatbelts as passengers, the 20 year old driver was racing 2 other cars. His 2 year old daughter sitting in the front passenger seat was badly injured. The other 2 cars contained relatives that did not stop after the accident & one person was the 37 year old Mother of the deceased teenage girls! They have all been charged & awaiting trial.
> 
> This is only one story & I am sure the paramedics must be frustrated at what they encounter all because of stupid, selfish driving habits by young people under the influence of alcohol, drugs or too much testosterone!


This was an awful crash, and I'd suggest had more to do with sheer stupidity than alcohol. Someone once said to me that you won't do anything under the influence of alcohol that you wouldn't consider doing sober. This would have been a stupid thing to do anywhere - except maybe on a controlled race track with proper seatbelts, helmets & protective clothing. To do it with children in the car was criminal, and they are all quite rightly being prosecuted.


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## Song_Si

*NZ driving angers visitors*
Saturday Feb 4, 2012

*Visiting drivers say they are shocked at the lack of courtesy and patience displayed by Kiwis*

New Zealand may have just had its lowest road toll in six decades, but our drivers are just as rude and reckless as ever, visitors have told the Weekend Herald.

The Automobile Association has echoed their complaints, describing the average car-bound Kiwi as "impatient" and "not very courteous", while a police traffic boss has told of New Zealand's history and reputation for aggressive drivers.

Tamsyn and Mike Hicks yesterday returned to the UK after having been "constantly shocked" by Kiwi drivers and say our attitudes on the road is a regular conversation topic among other visiting Brits.

"We've seen some crazy manoeuvres and a number of close misses - far more than you would ever experience at home," Mrs Hicks said.

"The main reason for it, we found, was impatience. We saw it quoted in a guidebook somewhere that Kiwis are all very lovely and relaxed and gentle, but as soon as they get behind the wheel they turn into these impatient crazy people, and we just experienced that to be true."

One constant problem was tail-gating, she said, which the couple encountered no matter how fast they travelled.

"We just find it infuriating, to be honest, but every time we read about crashes in the paper over here it was almost never blamed on dangerous driving - and generally always the road was blamed.

"You can't blame the roads. It's just the courtesy and the patience."

Mrs Hicks said she was shocked to find the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office advising prospective visitors to New Zealand that the country had a 2010 rate of 8.7 road deaths per 100,000 of population - compared to the UK rate of 3.1.

read more


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## Song_Si

> *March 25: Changes to give way rules on New Zealand roads*
> *
> Most motorists support the major changes to give way rules on New Zealand roads, and more than four out of five are confident they can follow them, a survey has found.*
> 
> The changes to turning at intersections take effect in just over two weeks.
> 
> "The new rules also bring us in line with the rest of the world, which will reduce the risks of overseas drivers making a mistake about who has right of way on our roads."
> 
> *THE NEW RULES*
> 
> From 5am on Sunday, March 25:
> 
> * All traffic turning right must give way to a vehicle coming from the opposite direction and turning left. This applies at crossroads, T-intersections and driveways where both vehicles are facing each other with no signs or signals, or the same signs or signals.
> 
> * At an uncontrolled T-intersection, all traffic from a terminating road (bottom of the T) will have to give way to all traffic on a continuing road (top of the T). This will bring it into line with T-intersections where there are Stop or Give Way signs on the terminating road.
> 
> source


though this is concerning . . . 



> *Give way? But which is my left?*
> Feb 26, 2012
> 
> *An indication of the problems upcoming changes to the give way rules may prompt on our roads has been revealed in a Herald on Sunday street poll this week - many people don't know their left from their right.*
> 
> About half the people polled this week had a hard time telling the difference between left and right when asked to raise their left hand.
> source


more info and diagrams here at NZ Transport Agency site: *Two of the give way rules are changing*


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## anski

*Drivers confident on give way change*

It would appear most peoples fears are groundless in relation to give way law changes which come into force in 2 weeks as this article will explain.



> Most motorists support the major changes to give way rules on New Zealand roads, and more than four out of five are confident they can follow them, a survey has found.
> 
> The changes to turning at intersections take effect in just over two weeks.


Drivers confident on give way change - Motoring - NZ Herald News


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## topcat83

Song_Si said:


> though this is concerning . . .
> 
> 
> 
> *Give way? But which is my left?*
> Feb 26, 2012
> 
> *An indication of the problems upcoming changes to the give way rules may prompt on our roads has been revealed in a Herald on Sunday street poll this week - many people don't know their left from their right.*
> 
> About half the people polled this week had a hard time telling the difference between left and right when asked to raise their left hand.
> source
Click to expand...

Lol! That would be me!
Never can tell my left from my right... 

Can't wait til March 25th though... 
The trouble with the current rule is that although most people understand what they should do when turning left into a side road with someone turning right into the same side road, it doesn't work on a main road that is just wide enough for the car behind the car turning left to overtake. Everyone ends up in a state of indecision.
And most people don't really understand how to work out who has right of way on other types of road junctions.


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## Song_Si

> new rules also bring us in line with the rest of the world


read that NZ changed to its current law in 1977 - that's before I was driving - and I remember being in Australia and the rules changed between states - Victoria was the same as NZ, but cross the border to NSW or SA and they had the rules NZ are now adopting; Victoria followed them in 1993, so NZ has been the odd one out for a long time; as article states, this change will make it simpler for people from some other countries. 

I don't know if there are Thai or Cambodian give way laws other than ones based on size - _bicycle gives way to motorbike gives way to car gives way to truck . . . _ a law based on survival.


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## Song_Si

*Changes to Give Way laws*

maybe stay home on Sunday, go for a walk . . . careful crossing the road at intersections though.












> *A crash every 30 minutes at NZ intersections*
> 7:47 PM Thursday Mar 22, 2012
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Every 30 minutes someone around the country crashes at an intersection, figures released by the New Zealand Transport Agency show.*
> 
> ***
> 
> On Sunday (25/3) the give way rule at intersections changes and the New Zealand Transport Agency said it released these figures to show how common intersection crashes were.
> 
> There would be crashes at intersections this Sunday, and there would be crashes at intersections every day next week, NZTA spokesman Andy Knackstedt said, "Because there are dozens of crashes at intersections every single day of the year."
> 
> "We're asking media covering the implementation of the new rules this Sunday to keep that in mind, and to resist the urge to link intersection crashes to the new rules before the facts are in. A little bit of perspective and context will go a long way."
> 
> Over the long term the NZTA expected the new give way rules to reduce intersection crashes by about seven per cent. When similar changes were made in Victoria in Australia in 1993, there was a 7.1 per cent drop in crashes at intersections.
> 
> From 5am this Sunday, drivers turning right must give way to oncoming traffic turning left into the same street.
> 
> And drivers approaching the end of a road at a "T" intersection must give way to traffic turning toward them into the road.
> 
> *full story* here


and



> *No grace from insurers over give way change*
> By Teuila Fuatai
> 2:45 PM Thursday Mar 22, 2012
> 
> *Insurance companies are warning drivers to be extra careful on the roads as the new give-way rules come into play.*
> 
> Motor insurance customers will not be given any extra consideration if they are confused about the changes and subsequently cause a crash.
> 
> *full story* here


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## topcat83

Lol, Song-Si - so you're going to stay at home on Sunday because the Give Way rules are changing in NZ??


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## Song_Si

^ absolutely, in a land with no give way rules at all! 
I think that cartoon is about right. 
A friend in Wgtn suggested sitting at the four way intersection Cuba St and Abel Smith St - I think it has two Stop signs and two Give Way signs - often people doing a _stop-start-wave-you go?-I go?-we both go?_ . . . 
as for left and right - not far for us to cross the border and Cambodia where they drive on the right (blame the French!) I have trouble adapting to that.


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## Song_Si

a few years (!) ago, but I too failed my drivers licence test in New Plymouth, the car I borrowed, a Morris 1100, did not have self-cancelling indicators and I drove from one intersection to the next with a blinker/indicator flashing. Fail. 



> *Drive-test rules too tough - teen*
> HANNAH FLEMING
> Last updated 08:15 02/04/2012
> 
> *A New Plymouth teenager who failed his driver's licence test within 90 seconds says testing officers are going over the top while enforcing new rules.*
> 
> A tough new testing regime has caused national pass rates to plummet, and Tom Johnson, 19, became one of the victims of the new rules last week.
> 
> He failed his full licence test less than two minutes after it began when he accidentally took the first left turn when he had been instructed to take the second left turn upon beginning the test.
> 
> The tester told him the test was terminated for his "failure to carry out instruction for turning", even though he had not broken any rules and had performed the turn safely and correctly.
> 
> But the New Zealand Transport Agency is making no apologies for its strict enforcement, which has seen national pass rates drop from 80 per cent to 39 per cent since the new regime for restricted and full driver licence testing was implemented on February 27.
> 
> Taranaki's pass rate of 46 per cent, while above the national average, is a drop from pass rates of 70 and 75 per cent in Hawera and New Plymouth last year.
> 
> NZTA chief executive Geoff Dangerfield said the new test was much more challenging than the old one and a higher standard of driving was needed to pass.
> 
> more


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## vona62

Song_Si said:


> a few years (!) ago, but I too failed my drivers licence test in New Plymouth, the car I borrowed, a Morris 1100, did not have self-cancelling indicators and I drove from one intersection to the next with a blinker/indicator flashing. Fail.


This is very typical of the myopic attitude by small men given authority that are fixated on blind obedience rather than promoting good techniquie and drivers attitude.

I once had to retest after a medical issue for an Australian licence - the tester failed me within minutes starting a test because I let the wheel slide thru my hands when recentering after a turn instead of holding the wheel. 
I was 38yrs had a clean licence since 16 (employed once as a factory car test driver) and the tester was technically incorrect for contemporary cars but he had the authority.


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