Boost to speeding fines needed quickly—M.P.

Press, 4 July 1985, Page 13

Boost to speeding fines needed quickly—M.P.

PA Wellington A doubling of fines for speeding offences was included in legislation brought back before Parliament on Tuesday. The open road speed limit was raised from 80km/h to lOOkm/h on Monday. A doubling of instant speeding fines, up to a maximum of $2OO for speeding more than 35km/h but not more than 40km/h above the legal limit was included in the Transport Amendment Bill (No. 4). The bill was already before the House. The chairman of the select committee, Mr Bill Jeffries (Lab., Heretaunga), said it was desirable to increase speeding fines fees as soon as possible. The speed limit could be raised by regulation but increased penalties needed legislation, he said. While only the open road speed limit had been increased, the select committee recommended doubling all speed-infringement fees. The Minister of Transport, Mr Prebble, said he believed the proposal was sensible. “I personally believe people who drive at excessive speed ought to suffer a heavier penalty. A strong jetion is required sjn this matter,” he said. |

Under other amendments to the bill, the committee recommended that the implementation of clauses covering loads on trucks be delayed until February. This was to allow a code of practice to be distributed so that operators had time to improve their vehicles, Mr Jeffries said. It would also allow the training of traffic officers for their new responsibilities. Mr Tony Friedlander (Nat., New Plymouth), in a reference to provisions concerning insecure loads, criticised the definition of “operator” under the legislation. s An innocent person who may not know anything about an alleged insecure load might have to appear in court, he said. Such persons might just have a

share in owning the vehicle or be a driver who had not been given proper equipment. Mr Prebble said the National Government had used the term “operator” in its transport legislation. The Opposition spokesman on transport, Mr Winston Peters (Tauranga), said he was concerned with criminal liability provisions in the bill. He said an operator was presumed to have committed an offence purely because a load had fallen off a vehicle. The Opposition could not whole-heartedly support the bill, he said. Mr Peter Dunne (Lab., Ohariu) said Mr Peters’ concern was misplaced because every case brought to the courts would be tested on its merits.