Law

The government’s ACC motorbike levy system, which was meant to help meet the higher costs of bike accidents, has not improved road safety, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.

The levy system has raised over $15 million, but the majority of it, which was supposed to be spent on road safety projects, remains unspent.

$2.9 million had been spent on road safety projects up to October 2016, projected to grow to $6.3 million by June 2017.

Last Monday’s multiple fatality near Huntly could have been prevented by simple changes in rules and technology, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.

Brisbane holidaymaker Stephen Phillips, together with his partner’s sons Jasper Williams, 14, and Ruben Williams, 12, were killed when their car collided with a truck on State Highway 1, after veering into the opposing lane.

A lack of safety features on the notorious Desert Road in the central North island was directly responsible for today’s triple fatality, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.

Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson, who is an outspoken road safety campaigner, says today’s accident was a typical example of what happens when roads aren’t properly built and managed.

“You have snow and ice, a driver unfamiliar with the conditions, a truck, and a lack of median barrier. The end result is three dead bodies.”

It's hypocritical for the government to condemn speeding when its own drivers break the law on a regular basis, says the car review website dogandlemon.com

Commenting after GPS records showed that the Crown limousines exceed speed limits on a large percentage of trips, editor Matthew-Wilson says:

“The police and the government are quick to blame speeding for the road toll, yet their own adherence to the speed limits is patchy at best.”