I think for once the government has got it right on drink driving.
They have announced today that there is to be a zero alcohol limit for driver under 20 and for repeat offenders of drink driving.
Government changes creating a zero drink-drive limit for under 20 and recidivist drink drivers found widespread support this afternoon, but both the Labour Party and an alcohol watchdog say the moves don’t go far enough.
Transport Minister Steven Joyce today announced a zero drink drive limit for recidivist drink drivers and drivers aged under 20 from early next year.
It will be imposed on drivers after their second drink driving conviction and is likely to last three years after their disqualification period ends.
But the Government didn’t lower the legal adult blood-alcohol limit from 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood to 50 milligrams.
Mr Joyce said that the Government will first do some New Zealand-specific research on the level of risk posed by drivers with a blood alcohol limit between 0.05 and 0.08.
I think they have got the balance right here. I’m not convinced on the general limit being lowered, but then I don’t drink and drive at all. If I am driving then i don’t touch a drop. Having a zero limit for recidivists is a brilliant move, though i suspect the drunks will still roll out thinking they can run the gauntlet…they have already proven their mental incapacity by driving drunk in the first place.
It seems that the public agree with the changes as well, especially for under 20 drivers. The Herald poll that goes with the story shows that 91% of respondents agree with the government. Labour of course disagrees, like the idiots they are.
But Labour said the Government had attempted to kick the issue of drink driving into touch by postponing a decision.
Labour’s transport safety spokeswoman Darien Fenton said the Government had failed to act decisively over the issue.
“Anything that will save lives on our roads is worth doing,” he said.
Darien Fenton is a miserable wench. She has a perpetual smack bum look about her that even the most talented photoshopper would have trouble fixing. Glad to see she is advocating the removal of all vehicles from the road, I hope Labour takes that position into the election, after all having no vehicles would definitely save lives and Darien Fenton thinks that is worth doing.
In other road related matters I had an email from an expert in roading matters who suggested, in relation to doddery old fools driving the wrong way down motorways, that the matter could be solved easily.
Surely the way would be to ban all traffic on motorways unless it is travelling on the wrong side.
This would deal with the difficulties 83 year old unlicenced drivers have, and would also allow us to import left hand drive cars to capitalise on the change.
In one quick move we could legalise Chevy Suburbans and Cadillac Escalades to allow more greens to be carried in one vehicle.
Then we could be like Samoa.