Breaking news –
firearms laws to form basis of improved driver licensing regime
By Gary Elmes
Confident that the
new laws regarding airguns and military style firearms will lead to a
significant reduction in crime, the police have announced that the
lessons learned from our updated firearms laws are to be applied to
driver licensing.
“People need to
accept that driving a motor vehicle is a privilege, not a right,”
explained Inspector John Red, manager of the newly formed Office of
Driver and Vehicle Control, when announcing the new initiative.
The most
fundamental change is the introduction of a “fit and proper person”
test for driver licences. All applicants for a driver licence will
need to satisfy a police officer that they are fit and proper before
being issued a licence. Police will also have the ability to revoke a
driver’s licence at any time if, in their opinion, he or she ceases
to be a fit and proper person to drive a vehicle. Applicants will not
be considered fit and proper if, for example, they are believed to
abuse drugs, have gang affiliations, be involved in matrimonial
discord, or show signs of mental ill health. To prevent such people
from gaining illicit access to motor vehicles, those who cohabit with
them will also not be eligible for driver licences.
“This is
fundamental to the new strategy for reducing vehicle-related
fatalities,” Explained Inspector Red. “The existing approach, of
police having to go to court to prove that someone should lose their
licence, is too cumbersome and error-prone. Giving police the
discretion to take someone off the road when we believe that they
present a danger to others is key to us bringing the road tool down.”
Categorisation of
motor vehicles will also be tightened. A new class of vehicle will be
introduced – the Motor-Sport Style Automobile. Drivers will require
an additional endorsement on their licence before being allowed to
possess and drive such vehicles. The police will have considerable
discretion as to when to issue such an endorsement, and will have the
power to impose special conditions on the use of such vehicles.
Inspector Red indicated that they will only be issued to people who
have demonstrated a clear need to drive sporting vehicles.
“Each case will
be individually assessed on its merits, of course,” said Red. “But
endorsements will only be granted to genuine racing drivers, and we
will be imposing conditions that these especially dangerous cars are
only used on properly managed racing tracks.”
A car will be
classed as a Motor-Sport Style Automobile if it has an automatic
gearbox and one or more of the following features:
- A carburettor air-scoop,
- An adjustable aerofoil,
- A painted speed-stripe,
- A fuel tank capable of, or which appears capable of, holding more than seven litres of fuel.
The fuel tank
limitation is considered particularly important by police. “We are
involved in many car chases that carry on for far longer than they
should because of the excessive amounts of fuel that can be stored in
modern sports cars,” explains Inspector Red. “Seven litres is
more than enough for a car to travel from one petrol station to the
next, so legitimate car users have no real need for larger tanks.”
Responding to concerns of ambiguity as to what paint patterns would
be regarded as speed stripes, Inspector Red explained that the term
would be carefully defined in separate regulations. “We fully
expect car manufacturers to push the boundaries in terms of what is
and what isn’t a speed stripe. Defining the term in regulations
will allow the police to respond quickly, with updated regulations,
to new developments in car exterior decoration. We do recognise the
importance of having clear and simple rules about what kind of
exterior embellishments are regarded as speed stripes,” he
continued, “and we’re confident that the regulation defining this
will not extend beyond seven pages.“
SPEED STRIPES ON VEHICLES
Asked about how the
public was likely to respond to these changes, Inspector Red
responded: “I’m sure that many petrol-head speed freaks will
oppose the new laws, selfishly putting their perceived right to drive
whatever cars they want ahead of public safety. But we’re confident
that responsible drivers will support the initiative.”
A final comment
from Inspector Red: “Most people will accept that the police can be
trusted to use these new powers responsibly. We will be targeting the
irresponsible hoons and taking them off the road. Ordinary, law
abiding drivers have nothing to fear.”
The new laws are
scheduled to come into effect on 1st April next year.
This story first appeared in 'Bullshooter' - the magazine of Pistol New Zealand.
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