Road points system

Press, 12 January 1981, Page 9

Road points system

The .demerit-points system i of penalising -bad drivers was time-consuming, but it; was an important part of the enforcement of roadsafety laws,' said; the Chief ’Traffic Officer ■ Tn 'ChristJi church'(Mr R. W. Fox). ! He said that there was no. ’ question of the Ministry of ; Transport’s , having let the .jsystem slip into the background.- - :[ “It is a counselling service!. I: which, is seen as .being pref-1- ; erable . to. having^. offending) I drivers ~ ih' ‘ court, all the ;• time,”, he. said. " . I '! Several Christchurch I 'drivers lost their..,;licences;: • last year by accuriiulating' ■. more. thari- 100-pointsl- .. . |! When a? driver , is -con-i. victed of a-traffic offence, j and the court, does not dis-j qualify him. or her-for at; least three, months, points':

i are put - on a. personal “record.” W-.. •- - | .Serious offences such , as driving while intoxicated, or dangerous driving/ .cost 40 points, although- a qualification of more than three months is usually imposed. - 1 ' ■■ -. If 60 points are accumulated, the Ministry of Transport personally advises the driver of the consequences of adding to that total. At 80 points, the driver.'is ■called in for an 'interview iwith, a senior traffic officer. I Mr Fox said that 16.-inter-views were- held during No- ! vember and December last l/year. Although that was not !;a large number, it shbuld. be that it often [took several offences to accumulate enough points for i an interview.■ j He said that the- only 7 way ! :the - success of . the- system

hcbuld- be measured siwould be(to find out, how many of thei si “interviewees” reoffended,■but- that would , : be - a rtimeiiconsuming task;,-. J : Traffic, officers' make; p6rcsonal observations oh the atititude of : the .driver, at the | interview, ind advise whethi er. he or she would -be likely •jto reoffend.» , '- - - . . H All points are adtbmatical;ly removed from drivers’ records if they, ppmtiiit an . offende-'.vihich results.: ih'-,.a ' disqualification) / period.* 'of three. 1 months or more, or two years after the con- • victioh. ■ • iMr Fox said some drivers :. would always reoffend, -They ; the examples iwhok were i bound by trie court ltd attend driving; •Ibut did not take any notice jof the. courses,. 1 “Nothing is totally* effeci tive'.-” ; .’he said: