Zero alcohol for drivers under 20.

[Swoop]

The Government intends imposing a zero alcohol level on drivers aged under 20, Transport Minister Steven Joyce has confirmed.

He said today it was part of a package aimed at reducing the road death toll, which was 60 per cent per capita higher than Australia's.

Mr Joyce said the zero alcohol level for drivers under 20 still had to be signed off by the Cabinet.

"I think it is likely to get through," he said on Radio New Zealand.

"We do need to take a systematic approach to the issues around young people dying on our roads."

At present teenage drivers have a 30mg alcohol limit.

Mr Joyce said there would also be proposals in the package covering drivers up to age 24.

[motor_mayhem]

That Joyce is a douche who has chosen young drivers as his scapegoat and decided to put everything on them because older drivers certainly don't want to believe they are ever at fault. Stuff's motoring journalist refers to it here. It annoys me even though I am no longer in the age group of those that will be penalised

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/bl...-our-road-toll

Despite being a car driver he has also acknowledged our issues too.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/bl...-cop-ACC-blame

[R6_kid:Me]

It's a start, next step would be halving the acceptable breath alcohol limit for everyone else.

I still think they need to invest heavily in some reliable and accurate statistics collection followed up with full analysis so that they can target all the real problem areas other than just speed and alcohol. But then they'd be doing their job correctly, and we all know government agencies aren't capable of that.

[Mikkel]

It's fairly ridiculous - there's nothing to support that you are less of a risk when driving drunk just because you are older.

Again, we see the short-sighted, narrow mindedness of the people who are making the laws. When are they going to wake up and realise that prohibition does not work.

[avgas]

Short sighted - possibly. However the peripheral stuff can happen later.
The only thing bad I can see out of all of this is the fact they haven't stated the total plan e.g.
- Zero alcohol for drivers under 20
- Half alcohol levels for all drivers
- Lift drinking age to 19
- Lift driving age to 17
- Compulsory driving tests ever 5 years after 50.
- Stronger penalties for dangerous driving causing harm.
- Stronger penalties for repeat offenders........

[Spearfish]

I think is more to do with developing better behaviour patterns at a younger age. But I do wonder if anything will work with a system that lets someone blow over the limit two/three times in one night fail a blood test then get it retested privately and fail again then go plead not guilty, but then I guess if the system lets him run up 6 or seven convictions you have to wonder who is at fault for forming his habit.
Recidivist criminals will only respond to one punishment...the woodchipper..IMHO

[sunhuntin]

its a start, and one that needed to be done. so many teens think that driving drunk makes them a better driver... totally crazy. heres hoping this first step will lead to others in the right direction as far as preventing drink driving in adults as well.

[Mikkel]

Short sighted - possibly. However the peripheral stuff can happen later.
The only thing bad I can see out of all of this is the fact they haven't stated the total plan e.g.
- Zero alcohol for drivers under 20
- Half alcohol levels for all drivers
- Lift drinking age to 19
- Lift driving age to 17
- Compulsory driving tests ever 5 years after 50.
- Stronger penalties for dangerous driving causing harm.
- Stronger penalties for repeat offenders........

Well, that's the foolish approach - 'things are bad so we'll just fix it by tightening up the law'.

Introduce proper extensive driver education, real tests, lift the driving age to 18, make 3rd party insurance compulsory and people will begin to take motoring serious. I am confident that would resolve a lot of the problems...

[Mikkel]

Short sighted - possibly. However the peripheral stuff can happen later.
The only thing bad I can see out of all of this is the fact they haven't stated the total plan e.g.
- Zero alcohol for drivers under 20
- Half alcohol levels for all drivers
- Lift drinking age to 19
- Lift driving age to 17
- Compulsory driving tests ever 5 years after 50.
- Stronger penalties for dangerous driving causing harm.
- Stronger penalties for repeat offenders........

Well, that's the foolish approach - 'things are bad so we'll just fix it by tightening up the law'.

Introduce proper extensive driver education, real tests, lift the driving age to 18, make 3rd party insurance compulsory and people will begin to take motoring serious. I am confident that would resolve a lot of the problems...

[Genestho]

It's a start at one end of the spectrum, building on a generation with better habits, and the first of many announcements on the drink drive and roadsafety in general topic this year. There is debate as we speak, regarding penalties, recidivists, interlocking devices have been reviewed.

I have been extremely fortunate in this area, working with the leading researcher in the world who is now releasing 'look back' research information and studies over 20 years with excellent results. Which once approved I have been given permission to publish.

Like anything there will be those that won't respect the law, and laws need to be enforced to be respected. Behaviours need to be taught, to be learnt, hence a massive injection into SADD peer group education.

Joyce has got his work cut out, but from what i understand he is astute and intelligent, researching and listening, and prepared to make some moves.

[avgas]

Well, that's the foolish approach - 'things are bad so we'll just fix it by tightening up the law'.
Introduce proper extensive driver education, real tests, lift the driving age to 18, make 3rd party insurance compulsory and people will begin to take motoring serious. I am confident that would resolve a lot of the problems...

So you mean introduce and tighten laws.......
sorry I am confused, as you have just said the fluffy stuff around the laws.
Age - law
Insurance - law
License - law
Education - law......

[motor_mayhem]

Well, that's the foolish approach - 'things are bad so we'll just fix it by tightening up the law'.

Introduce proper extensive driver education, real tests, lift the driving age to 18, make 3rd party insurance compulsory and people will begin to take motoring serious. I am confident that would resolve a lot of the problems...

That kinda reads like a large contradiction - sounds like you are first saying laws aren't going to fix anything, then suggest a whole heap of new laws? could you elaborate?

Regarding the topic as a whole, Is there any statistics to prove that it is this minority that are crashing BECAUSE their breath/blood alcohol limit is within the current legal limits but more than zero. I very much doubt it. For everyone who says the driving should be raised, maybe consider the people who don't live in the middle of the cities and how their lives might be affected by such a change.

[marty]

I think is more to do with developing better behaviour patterns at a younger age. But I do wonder if anything will work with a system that lets someone blow over the limit two/three times in one night fail a blood test then get it retested privately and fail again then go plead not guilty, but then I guess if the system lets him run up 6 or seven convictions you have to wonder who is at fault for forming his habit.
Recidivist criminals will only respond to one punishment...the woodchipper..IMHO

Exactly. It's called education at the top instead of ambulance at the bottom. If they made the learner licence tighter and easier to lose through poor behaviour that would also begin to create young people who actually respected their licence...

[avgas]

Exactly. It's called education at the top instead of ambulance at the bottom. If they made the learner licence tighter and easier to lose through poor behaviour that would also begin to create young people who actually respected their licence...

While I agree - I do wonder how a lot of people who believe "education will solve all" feel about their own ability. Especially those who's motorbike licence consisted of riding the BSA home from the shop.
Just curious, and not saying its right or wrong. But would you all recommend something that you would also be tested on?
I personally believe that all riders and drivers need a bit more grasskanna so that they know how to hold themselves and feel what a potential of a vehicle is. And I practice what I preach sometimes taking a vehicle to its limits (in a safe area) just to check my skills.

[neels]

It's a close to zero limit at the moment anyway, one beer and you're over, so just making it zero seems sensible.

Will raising the driving age reduce accidents for inexperienced drivers, or will it just create older inexperienced drivers having accidents? Attitude is just as much as of a determining factor as age, and there are plenty of 20 or 30 or even 70 year olds that drive like retards and are possibly more dangerous than a careful 15 year old.