No Warnings Yet In Demerit System

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31394, 13 June 1967, Page 14

No Warnings Yet In Demerit System

About 150 traffic offenders have had demerit points recorded against them since the system

came into force on April 1. Mr N. Kennedy, who is in charge of the New Zealand central registry in Christchurch for traffic offence convictions. said yesterday that speeding was- the most frequent offence, followed by no warrants of fitness. No offender had accumulated enough demerit points to receive a warning letter from the Commissioner of Transport. This occurred when a motorist had had 60 points recorded against him. To yesterday three persons had 55 points, and at least 24 had 40 to 45.

Mr Kennedy said that most

of the points for speeding offences were recorded against drivers exceeding 30 miles an hour, rather than 55 miles an hour.

Very few drivers had had points for slow or inconsiderate driving. Mr Kennedy said that many drivers were perhaps unaware of the number of points they had accumulated until they were advised. Often a driver committed two offences, had a clear run for two months, and then was booked again and did not remember the points recorded against him for the earlier offences.

The system appeared to be working well, said Mr Kennedy, but it was too early to say what effect it was having on road safety in New Zealand.