Law

The government should require compulsory treatment for repeat drunk & drugged drivers

The government needs to urgently create a secure and caring environment for drivers who repeatedly offend while on drink or drugs, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.

Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson, who is an outspoken road safety campaigner, was commenting after Peter Leonard Thomas Stringfellow, 54, was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for a drunk-driving crash that left an eight-year-old boy with permanent disabilities.

Matthew-Wilson says addicted offenders who aren’t treated frequently reoffend once they leave prison.

Government misrepresenting facts on roadside drug testing

The government’s proposed roadside drug tests are based on unreliable science, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.

Dogandlemon.com editor Clive Matthew-Wilson, whose road safety research was awarded by the Australian Police Journal, says the government is either mistaken or deliberately misrepresenting the facts on drugged driving.

Congestion charges: “One road for the rich, one road for the poor.”

Congestion charges encourage wealthy people to use cars, says the car review website dogandlemon.com

Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson says:

“Congestion charges effectively create a class system: one road for the rich; one road for the poor.”

“Wealthy people love congestion charges. They simply pay a little extra for having the roads cleared of poor people who can’t afford to pay congestion charges.”

Truck drivers often don’t see the cyclists they kill

All commercial vehicles should be fitted with surround-view cameras that give the driver a 360° view of the road around them, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.

Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson, who is an outspoken road safety campaigner, says truck drivers are often completely unaware that they’ve just killed an innocent cyclist.

Government increase in fines for illegal use of cellphones in cars ‘pathetic'

The government’s slight increase in fines for drivers illegally using cellphones is ‘pathetic’, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.

Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson, who is an outspoken road safety campaigner, says many drivers will simply continue to use cellphones and accept the risk of a higher penalty.

UK bans e-scooters from pavements, bans private scooters, requires driver’s licence for scooter riders

New Zealand should follow the lead of the UK and introduce sensible regulations for e-scooters, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.

Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson, who is an outspoken road safety campaigner, says:

Police 'courageous' to restrict police pursuits

A new police pursuits policy that restricts most pursuits of fleeing drivers will save many lives, including the lives of police and public, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.

Campaigner to PM: would you let your own child ride on a highway bus without a seatbelt?

The government must share the blame for the fatal bus crash on Mt Ruapehu, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.

Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson, who is an outspoken road safety campaigner, says:

Motorbikes major factor in road toll

The high number of motorbike deaths and injuries in New Zealand has prompted a call for urgent action.

Clive Matthew Wilson, editor of the car review website dogandlemon.com, says:

“Over Labour Weekend, two of the worst accidents involved motorbikes.“

"Last year, 54 motorcyclists were killed and 1,438 were injured on our roads. Motorcyclists now make up about 16% of road deaths. It’s clearly time to heavily restrict the use of these death machines."

Time to ban reckless police pursuits

Innocent people will continue to die until the police stop recklessly pursuing fleeing vehicles, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.

Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson, who is an outspoken road safety campaigner, describes the latest Independent Police Conduct Authority report on a fatal police chase in New Zealand as “a wakeup call to the authorities”. 

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