No txtn whle drving - Can Kiwis change old habits?

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Mon, 02 Nov 2009 7:36p.m.

A raft of new road rules came into effect yesterday.

Among the new laws, police can now ask you to walk in a line to test you for drugs and motorbikes have to drive with their lights on during the day.

But the law that will cause the biggest behavioural shift is cellphones in cars.

As of November 1, it is illegal to text while driving and to talk on your phone you must have a hands-free kit.

Campbell Live reporters were out in Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin today to see whether New Zealanders are obeying the new laws.
 

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Comments

03 Nov 2009 10:52p.m.

Shan Azvi wrote:

It's not about wasting the resourses of the police,this is all about reducing accidents on our roads and saving lives.
Less accident means: Less insurance claims + save lives + save hospital expenses + pay less insurance premiums in the future & happy journey on our roads etc......
USA,UK, OZ & european nations are already implemented this law b'coz sometimes they see what we don't see !!!

03 Nov 2009 11:50a.m.

Dave wrote:

This seems like a waste of police resources to me

03 Nov 2009 11:19a.m.

Shan Azvi wrote:

I lived in Australia,USA & UK, Their Laws are:
DRINK & DRIVE: Sunspended license upto 2yrs,Fine upto $900,No special work license either.
TEXTING & TALKING: Fine upto $300 and loose 1/3 of your license.
RECKLESS/DANGEROUS DRIVING: Immediate suspension,(No mercy)
In USA,in certain areas you can get fine for just having alocohol in your car-Not drinking.
Do you still think that our legal system is too harsh? Hell No !!!
To my knowledge, You can pretty much get away with short sentence here. Thatswhy, we are seeing killings and murdering like no one's business here everyday.

03 Nov 2009 09:39a.m.

Cathy wrote:

Talking on the phone with headset at least reduces the chances getting into accident. It's a good thing for the plice to get tougher on this issue.

03 Nov 2009 07:05a.m.

JD wrote:

Very important amendment to the news coverage of the new laws on TV1 and TV3, at least - the new law requires daytime use of headlights or day-running lights for motorcycles and scooters manufactured from 1st January 1980. So there will be motorcycles out there without headlights on, quite leigitimately. There will be other road users who do not get this, and will no doubt do stupid things towards these motorcyclists as some kind of public punishment. Please put the record straight in your news coverage - many older bikes just do not have generators capable of running with lights on all the time, particularly at lower speeds.

03 Nov 2009 06:09a.m.

Glenn wrote:

Yes 'talking' on the phone can cause accidents, even with a hands free kit, makes no difference whether it's on a cradle or being held to your head, it's the conversation that is distracting, not the phone. This law won't make that much of a difference.

02 Nov 2009 09:28p.m.

Shan Azvi wrote:

"Texting" and "Talking" on mobile phone while driving can cause accidents and can potentially kill other road users as well.
This Law should have been implemented at least a decade ago.