32 ways to lose your licence as new rules take effect

Drivers now have more ways to lose their licences.

A revised Road Code takes effect tomorrow, introducing hundreds of changes to transport offences and penalties.

They include a list of 32 driving faults, apart from speeding and drink driving, which will carry demerit points.

The previous road code had 15 demerit offences, excluding speed and drink driving.

The 32 driving faults, which incur between 10 and 35 demerit points, include not driving as near as practicable to the left of the roadway (20 points), unsafe passing (35 points), driving in an emergency stopping lane (10 points) and ignoring a school patrol sign (20 points).

As well as the demerits, most of the offences also carry a $150 fine.

Many drivers believe demerit points mostly concern speeding.

Penalties for driving too fast range from 10 to 50 demerits.

Drivers who incur 100 within a two-year period can have their licence suspended for three months.

Transport Safety Minister Harry Duynhoven said that apart from a few rules such as signalling on roundabouts, most of the offences had been in the extensive transport regulations but had now been rewritten into the new clearer rules.

If the number of ways to earn demerits is a surprise to some people, Mr Duynhoven does not mind.

"What we are trying to do is reduce the number of fatalities," he said.

"We are aiming to get people to be better drivers."

The demerit offences generally focus on bad driving involving overtaking manoeuvres, following too close or too fast, not giving way or stopping, and pedestrian and level crossing offences.

Tomorrow's new road rules have not pleased everyone.

The Automobile Association public affairs director, George Fairbairn, said that in principle the AA supported the changes made.

But drivers had not been given enough warning.

Mr Fairbairn said there should be a better education programme before drivers were given tickets.

This applied especially to the new rules for signalling on roundabouts, which were confusing to older drivers in particular.

The changes had been advertised for only about a week and copies of the new Road Code had yet to reach the shops.

Mr Duynhoven said he had also received reaction on the roundabout rule but observed: "If you are going to turn left you signal left and if you are turning right you signal right."

A police spokesman in Wellington said yesterday that officers might take an educational approach over the changes.

Circumstances at the time would dictate what the reaction of the officers to offences might be.

Demerits: Counting the ways

If you think demerit points are a speedster's problem, think again. Commit 100 points' worth of offences in a two-year period and your licence will be suspended for three months.

Offences that carry demerit points:

Failing to drive as near as practicable to the left of the roadway: 20
Unsafe passing: 35
Impeding vehicle when passing: 35
Failing to allow impeded traffic to pass: 20
Passing at school crossing point or pedestrian crossing: 20
Passing to right of no-passing line: 35
Driving in emergency stopping lane: 10
Failing to comply with hand-held stop sign: 20
Failing to comply with school patrol sign: 20
Not stopping at stop sign: 20
Not giving way at stop sign: 20
Not giving way at give-way sign: 20
Driver of left-turning vehicle fails to give way to vehicle from right: 20
Failing to give way to road user on footpath when entering/exiting driveway: 20
At intersection, failing to give way to vehicle approaching from right: 20
Failing to give way when entering roundabout: 20
Exceeding speed for stopping distance: 20
Exceeding speed for stopping distance on road not marked in lanes: 20
Driving too close to vehicle in front: 20
Parking on pedestrian crossing: 20
Parking within 6m of driver's approach to pedestrian crossing: 20
Parking in signed/marked area on approach to pedestrian crossing: 20
Driver permits riding dangerously: 20
Failing to give way to rail vehicle approaching level crossing: 20
Drive, etc, cycle, vehicle, or animal across level crossing when risk of collision with rail vehicle: 20
Failing to stop for level crossing stop sign: 20
Failing to remain stationary at stop sign until level crossing clear: 20
Entering controlled level crossing when red signal displayed: 20
Entering controlled area of level crossing when barrier arm lowered: 20
Failing to give way at pedestrian crossing: 35
Entering pedestrian crossing when passage blocked: 35
Failing to give way to pedestrian on shared zone: 35

Source: Land Transport (Offences and Penalties) Amendment Regulations 2004.
New rules start tomorrow.