The New Zealand Automobile Association (AA) is urging the government to overhaul traffic offence penalties, arguing that fines have failed to keep pace with inflation and no longer deter unsafe driving.
AA road safety spokesperson Dylan Thomsen said many penalties have not been updated since 1999, despite significant rises in wages and living costs. The organisation is calling for fines to be doubled to reflect inflation since then and for future adjustments to be made automatically.
“We need to bring these penalties back up so they work to make drivers think twice about taking risks on the road or breaking the rules because right now they’re not doing that,” Mr Thomsen said.
Fines Losing Their Deterrent Effect
In 1999, the median weekly income before tax in New Zealand was $520. That figure has since increased by 158 per cent to $1,343 in 2024, according to Stats NZ.
“Getting stung $30 for a low-level speeding infringement in 1999 was a significant chunk out of your paycheque, but the deterrent value has eroded when you consider the growth in wages,” Mr Thomsen said.
He added that some offences no longer reflect the potential harm they cause. “An unregistered vehicle attracts a $200 fine and demerit points, yet other offences with vastly different safety implications are less severe. Failing to stop at a red light and not wearing a seatbelt each incurs a $150 fine and no demerits,” he said.
Targeting High-Risk Behaviour
The AA wants the government to prioritise offences that most often lead to serious crashes, including drunk and drugged driving, speeding, distraction, and failure to wear seatbelts.
“There should be a focus on types of offences that show up most frequently in crashes,” Mr Thomsen said. “We think the government should look at those particular offences and say we might need to actually increase those ones even more than the doubling for inflation.”
A recent survey of AA members found that most drivers believe current fines are not effective, with fewer than half saying they discourage common offences such as speeding, drink driving, or mobile phone use while driving.
Calls for a Comprehensive Review
The AA also wants penalties reviewed to ensure high-risk offences carry meaningful consequences. It supports the introduction of stronger sanctions for repeat offenders, new measures such as a good behaviour bond, and increased use of alcohol interlocks and treatment programs for first-time drink drivers.
Mr Thomsen said that while the idea of higher fines would not be popular, the country is already paying a high price for unsafe driving.
“There’s never going to be a great time that people are going to want to hear about fines or penalties increasing,” he said. “But we are paying as a country right now through our really high crash rate and the major impact that has on our health system.”
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