Media Release from Sensible Sentencing Trust

30 May 2007

More road trauma – less government action

Just obtained provisional figures show an increase of 22 per cent in the number of drivers disqualified for causing death and injury on New Zealand roads. In 2005 194 people were disqualified for driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol and causing death and injury, this has jumped to 236 in 2006.

The Sensible Sentencing spokesperson on impaired driving, Megan McPherson, says this jump in disqualifications represents a growing anarchy caused by impaired drivers on New Zealand’s roads.

“These figures are not just numbers on a page from the Beehive. Each one represents more people being violently killed or injured by drunks and druggies who think they are fit to share our roads.

“Each death represents more grieving families. Each extra disqualification shows an increased chance of anyone on our roads randomly having their lives snatched or shattered by drunk and drugged drivers,” says Mrs McPherson.

She says policy makers have not got a handle on this increasingly serious situation and The Land Transport Act (1998) is clearly not working.

“For example, the government said in 2002 it was looking into introducing alcohol interlocking devices. Nothing had happened. Twice the incumbent administration has decided not to decrease the BAC levels for drunk drivers.”

“The Police who have to deal first hand with road deaths and injuries are telling New Zealand that impaired drivers do not get the message that impaired driving kills. Once again, the government is not listening.

“The sad result is that road toll for 2007 is going the wrong way. This is largely the result of inadequate penalties and political inertia. Our government has only tinkered while Rome continues to burn”

“There is little deterrent when drunk and drugged drivers continually have their licences returned. There are many offenders who have had their driver’s licence returned over 12 times. What sort of an encouraging message is this sending to these killers?” She asks.

In other countries killer drivers are charged with manslaughter or murder, in New Zealand this happens in very few cases. Here drivers that kill usually face excess alcohol causing death charges, which hold much lighter penalties than manslaughter.
ENDS

Contact
Megan McPherson
Sensible Sentencing Trust impaired driving spokesperson
megan_andrew@clear.net.nz
Ph 03-4560350
Ph 029-3323-284
Related articles: http://www.safe-nz.org.nz/Articles/licensed.htm

Supporting Evidence
The figures were obtained on May 29 (2007) from the Ministry of Justice through a parliamentary question from the Candor Trust. It is likely they will be made publicly available in the next two days. Please note 2006 figures are provisional.

Information supplied is as follows:

Subject: QWA 08289 (2007) – Borrows, Chester

Portfolio: Courts

Question: How many people were disqualified from driving for driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol and causing death or injury, in each of the past three years?

Answer:

Year Number of People
2004 188
2005 194
2006 236

NB: An offender is counted once in the calendar year that the charge is finalised. Andy offender receiving more than one disqualification in the same year will only be counted once in that year. This means it is possible that the incidence of disqualification is higher than the number of people disqualified.

In line with this trend more drivers are being disqualified from driving each year. Figures supplied by the Ministry of Justice are as follows:

Year Number of people disqualified
2004 30,814
2005 31,771
2006 33,706

Ends

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