The Government is taking a tougher stance on road safety, with fines for not wearing seatbelts set to triple, The New Zealand Herald has reported. Currently, at $150, the fine could increase to $450 to align with penalties in the UK, Australia, and Canada and adjust for inflation. Wearing seatbelts doubles the chances of surviving a serious crash, yet over 80 people die annually in crashes while not wearing seatbelts.
The Government's Policy Statement on Land Transport, released recently, also emphasizes a crackdown on driving under the influence and other driving offenses. To enhance road safety further, legislation will be enacted to introduce roadside oral fluid drug testing, with police targeting at least 50,000 drivers annually. This move aims to streamline drug testing processes, as currently, only around 500 blood samples are sent to the lab if drugs are suspected.
Roadside drug tests, which have been in development for years, will utilize devices to detect prohibited drugs. Positive swabs will undergo further testing. These measures bring New Zealand's fines and testing procedures more in line with Australia's system.
Additionally, the Government plans to set targets for police to conduct at least 3 million roadside breath alcohol tests annually. Alcohol and drugs are identified as the leading contributors to fatal crashes in New Zealand, with 163 fatal crashes, 144 serious injury crashes, and 776 minor injury crashes attributed to driver alcohol or drug consumption in 2022.
The report highlights that current penalties and demerit points have not been reviewed since 1999 and are below international standards, describing them as "poorly targeted, too low to deter unsafe behavior, or misaligned with risk." Penalties for driving while disqualified will also increase, as about 67,000 people are disqualified from driving annually, with approximately 8,700 prosecuted for driving while disqualified each year.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon expressed concern over the low perceived risk of getting caught for drug-driving and drink-driving, calling it "frankly unacceptable" and promising investments in enhancing breath-testing stops. The Government aims to deter unsafe driving behavior and enhance road safety with these measures.