Minister Warns Serious Traffic Offenders

Transport Minister Maurice Williamson had a strong warning for serious traffic offenders today as the new licensing regime took effect.

"Stay off the road or either your licence will be suspended or your vehicle impounded immediately by police at the roadside."

These actions are part of a key road safety initiative aimed at removing serious traffic offenders from our roads.

Mr Williamson stressed that law-abiding drivers had nothing to fear from the new law. "In fact, the average motorist will be safer with these offenders being removed from the roads."

Mr Williamson said each year 20,000 drivers were convicted of more than 25,000 drink driving offences. A third of these were for alcohol readings of more than twice the legal limit. Another 8000 drivers were convicted of 11,000 offences for driving while disqualified.

"About 10 percent of road deaths are caused by this type of offending and we see this new initiative as a major step in fixing that," said Mr Williamson.

"The major advantages of roadside suspension and vehicle impoundment are that they will be certain, swift and severe in their application. These are three essential elements that research shows are required to maximise deterrence."

A 28 day licence suspension applies to drivers who:

drive with breath or blood alcohol levels that are more than twice the adult legal alcohol level
refuse to supply a blood sample
travel more than 50kph over the applicable speed limit (does not apply to speed camera offences)
A 28 day vehicle impoundment applies to drivers who drive:

while disqualified
while their licence is suspended under demerit points
while their licence is suspended by Police for 28 days
while their licence is revoked (eg on medical grounds)
without a licence and who have previously been forbidden to drive until they get a licence
after their licence has expired and when they have previously been forbidden to drive until they renew their licence