Road Safety News

Young Drivers and Adults Responsibility (How to make novice drivers crash), an article by Stephen Haley 
May 2010

Click here to view - PDF, (91Kb)

April 2010

Heavy vehicle productivity gains are set to be realised after Transport Minister Steven Joyce gave the green light for a permit system allowing heavy vehicles to operate outside the current mass and dimension limits.

The Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Amendment 2010 allows the development of a permit regime for high productivity vehicles to operate above the current 44 tonne weight limit on specified routes. It will come into force on 1 May.

Under the permit regime, trucks will be able to be permitted at weights up to 53 tonnes within their current dimensions. There will also be provision for loads above 53 tonnes to be granted in specific instances.

Mr Joyce said New Zealand's freight task is forecast to increase by 70 to 75 percent over the next 25 years and while rail and coastal shipping would play an increasingly important role in meeting those demands it is expected that the bulk of this increase will be carried by roads.

"Developing this permit system creates an environment where productivity gains in the range of 10 to 20 percent could be realised by using fewer trucks to carry a given amount of freight while enabling the impacts of heavy vehicles to be properly managed," he said.

"This will help to reduce road congestion, operating costs, vehicle emissions and improve the road safety environment by slowing the increase in heavy vehicle movements on New Zealand's roads."

Trucks carrying heavier loads will not be any wider or higher than present vehicles, though a limited number may be slightly longer.

Applications for overweight permits will be considered by road controlling authorities – local authorities for local roads and the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) for State highways – while over-dimension permits will be approved by the NZTA or agents appointed by the NZTA.

Any vehicle issued with a permit to operate at a heavier weight under a permit system will have to meet all appropriate safety requirements.

Road controlling authorities will have the final say on whether roads/routes are suitable for heavier vehicles within their jurisdiction.

For more information see http://www.transport.govt.nz/ourwork/Land/VDMAmendment2010/

July 2009

From August 2009 onwards driver licence theory tests will move from paper-based scratch tests to computerised versions.

Who will this affect?

These changes will start to affect people taking car, motorcycle and heavy vehicle driver licence theory tests from August 2009 onwards.

Why make this change?

Using a computerised test will allow the NZTA to easily add in additional questions if any changes are made to the road code. Besides English, the computerised theory tests will be available in nine other languages. This removes the need for and cost of interpreters. Questions will be randomly selected from a bank of questions so no two tests will be the same. This will require those sitting a theory test to learn the road code thoroughly. Computerised tests automatically calculate the score after the final question is answered. This reduces the need for testing centre staff to total scores when inputting the results to the database.

When will the change happen?

The first driver licensing agents to launch the computerised tests will be Wellington in August 2009. In late August it will continue to roll out to the greater Wellington area, and Auckland in September. It is estimated that the system will then be rolled out through the rest of New Zealand over the next five months.

For the first few days in each location a person sitting their test may be able to choose whether they take a paper-based or computerised test. The NZTA estimate that the computerised version will be compulsory in all agents in 2010.

What are the differences between the tests?

Both the paper-based and computerised tests are made up of 35 questions. There are 25 questions about road rules and road hazards and 10 questions about safety practices that relate to either cars/motorcycles/heavy vehicles (depending on the theory test being taken).

Computerised theory tests

The questions will appear in a random order. All questions are multi-choice and users select the answer they think is correct by clicking on it. They can change their mind after clicking an answer but it will be locked in when they decide to move onto the next question. They will know if they have correctly answered the question before the next question displays.

Paper-based theory tests

The test is made up of two test papers: a general paper and a specialist paper. The general paper has 25 questions about road rules and road hazards. The specialist paper contains 10 questions about safety practices that relate to cars/motorcycles/heavy vehicles.

Both papers are multi-choice scratch tests, which means people should select the answer they think is correct by scratching the panel next to that answer. This will reveal either a tick, to show the answer is right, or a cross, to show the answer is wrong.

What score is needed to pass the test?

The pass scores will stay the same. Those taking the car or motorcycle tests will need to get at least 32 questions right out of 35. Those taking the heavy vehicle test will need to get 33 questions right out of 35. If they do not meet this level, they will need to book to take the test again at another time, and they’ll need to pay another test fee.

What about speech or language difficulties?

As with the paper-based theory tests, people with reading difficulties can also apply for: extra time to complete the theory test the theory test to be given orally.

Applicants should speak to their driver licensing agent about this when they book their theory test.

What languages will the computerised theory tests be available in?

Besides English, the computerised theory tests will be available in:

Arabic Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Korean, Samoan, Tongan, Hindi, Gujurati, Punjabi, Maori.

Applicants should speak to their driver licensing agent about this when they book their theory test.

More information

To coincide with the launch in August 2009, the NZTA website will be amended to explain the computerised theory tests:

http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/licensing/index.html

Dates for the rollout of the computerised testing by region will be put on the NZTA website when confirmed.

Practice Test Website

Read the Road Code and purchase practice tests.