Should the open road speed limit be increased?

From Stuff:

It’s the mantra all drivers learn from the time they first slap on L-plates: the faster you go, the greater your chance of a serious crash.

The reasoning is simple. The greater your speed, the less time you have to react to a problem, the greater the braking distance required and the greater the forces involved in any collision.

This indeed has been something which the authorities have been attempting to smash into our psyches with absolute brute force. And for a large part, they seem to have succeeded.

Like many pro-speed campaigners, he points to Germany’s often speed-limit-free autobahns as a shining example, saying they have recently recorded an all-time-low death toll due to their “emphasis on flow management rather than speed limits”.

“The autobahns are a successful model, which have become a political embarrassment for every other EU country,” says Dornsife, a 63-year-old who drives tens of thousands of kilometres annually in his job.

Before we get in to this any deeper, it must be said that we really have nothing like the german autobahns here.

Fatigue is the major factor among casualties on the Newell Highway, with around 26 per cent of casualties in 2007 involving fatigue,” she said, citing the RTA’s own research. “This figure is higher than other country highways [15 per cent in 2007]

And we all know that fatigue is exacerbated by increased time behind the wheel. Its also true, that as the brain slows down one becomes tired. Give a person an intent task to focus on, and their body will produce chemicals to combat fatigue.

Sensible higher limits will rid our roads of much intimidating and aggressive driving,” says the association’s vice president, Gavin Goeldner. “The biggest killer on the roads is not speed but inattention

I’ve been saying this for years. As we sit in an orderly procession of cars doing 95km/h, our attention begins to wander. We start to look at the scenery, drift off into our minds. Its a bit like sitting on a train, really.

A prime example of this is that if i’m a bit tired heading home (Wellington – Kapiti) Then i’ll make a detour over the paekakariki hill road. This always has the net effect of waking me up. If ichoose to go the normal, traffic clogged route (centennial highway) then i will become groggy and will have delayed response times.

And I’m not alone in this.

Personally, i think that we as motorists need to be treated less like sheep and have more stringent driving tests, and better education programmes.

So for now, i’ll continue to break the law when and when i see fiit. I might get too many demerits form time to time, but really, thats no dis-incentive.

Drug Driving laws come into effect Nov. 1st

From Sunday,  It will be Illegal to drive on benzodiazepines.

 

Parliament has tonight voted to widen the scope of new drugged driving legislation to include benzodiazepines – a class of prescription drugs that can lead to severe impairment in driving ability.

I Can attest – Benzos can seriously screw up your fine motor skills. Coordination can be next to impossible.

The drugged driving legislation is only aimed at drivers who pose a road safety risk. A driver who is not impaired will not be affected by this law.” The Land Transport Amendment Act 2009 creates a new offence for drivers impaired by drugs, introduces compulsory testing when the driver is suspected of driving while under the influence of drugs and allows for blood testing to determine whether there are drugs in the bloodstream

This is fantastic. For the 20 odd years that I have been driving, it has been common place for people to have a ‘smoke’ whilst being the ‘sober’ driver. It will however require a MASSIVE culture change not only in those whom like to illegally get stoned, but also those whom habitually, and legally pop one of the various forms of benzos.

I suspect that this will catch quite a few people unawares.

This is why our PM is doing so well in the polls.

National and Act do a deal on ACC

Stuff Reports:

National and ACT have struck a deal over ACC reform that will see the Government investigate opening the work account to competition.

A press conference is expected at about 4pm to release details of the deal which clears the way for ACC Minister Nick Smith to introduce his stalled Bill to increase levies and reduce some entitlements.

ACC Minister Nick Smith confirmed the ACC Reform Bill will now be introduced next week.

“I am pleased the Government has secured support for this critical legislation from both the Maori Party and from ACT that will see ACC’s proposed levies reduced by half,” Dr Smith said.

The Maori Party earlier this week said it would support the Bill as far as a select committee hearing.

“Today the National and ACT Parties reached an agreement that will ensure the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Amendment Bill will be passed through all stages,” Dr Smith said.

He said National intended to work with ACT to open the ACC work account to competition subject only to the Government receiving a report from the steering group currently considering the stocktake of ACC accounts.

That would set out the merits and feasibility to New Zealand of such a policy, and outlines a process to achieve this policy objective in a way that resolves any significant outstanding issues of such a move.

The ACC Stocktake Group will also explore other areas in which the private and non-government sectors (including Iwi) can be involved in accident management and compensation.”

The group will provide an interim report on the competition issue no later than 1 February 2010.

“Subsequent to the Government receiving the report in June 2010, and the anticipated decision to open up the Work Account to competition as soon as reasonably practicable, the government will introduce legislation into Parliament during 2010 to ensure the soonest implementation possible. The government will consult with the ACT party during both the process of making a decision on the ACC Stocktake Group’s report, and in the preparation of any subsequent legislation.”

Good. Opening the work account to competition is good for both ACC and Business.  This is full of win imo.