Transport

Bring back the six-monthly Warrant of Fitness

The government should bring back six-monthly Warrant of Fitness inspections for the majority of cars and light commercial vehicles, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.

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

Minister should resign over e-scooter death

Yesterday's e-scooter death was the result of corrupt and reckless mismanagement by the government and the Minister of Transport should resign, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.

Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson, who is an outspoken road safety campaigner, says e-scooters were effectively sneaked onto the nation’s footpaths, without consultation and without a proper safety plan.

Banning unsafe cars may not improve safety

Attempts to improve safety by banning the import of older vehicles may actually keep older vehicles on the road longer, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.

Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson, who is an outspoken road safety campaigner, says the government needs to remember what happened in 2008.

Government risks voter backlash over lowered speed limits

The government is likely to face a significant voter backlash if speed limits are reduced unreasonably, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.

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

“It’s currently fashionable in government circles to blame speed for causing increased road deaths. The facts don’t support this view.”

“The government’s own statistics show that speed alone is a factor in just 15% of fatal crashes.”

Alcohol still the worst drug on our roads

The government needs to treat alcohol as the most dangerous recreational drug, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.

Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson, who is an outspoken road safety campaigner, says legal drugs, such as alcohol, are killing far more people than illegal drugs.[1]

Clarification on driver training

In a recent press release, we correctly pointed out that advanced driver and rider training (such as teaching drivers skid-control) has a very poor track record when it comes to reducing accidents (drivers tend become overconfident and take more risks).

Unfortunately, our press release led some people to assume we oppose all driver and rider training. This is nonsense. We strongly support professional instruction for beginners.

Campaigner blames government after 8 die on road without median barrier

The New Zealand government has blood on its hands over the latest multiple fatality, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.

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

“Eight people are dead because a median barrier was missing off that road. That’s the simple fact. If the government is serious about lowering the road toll, the highest priority must be given to improving the safety of our Third World roads.”

Time to recall defective Lime scooters

Lime e-scooters have serious safety defects and should be recalled immediately, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.

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

Exhausted truck drivers major threat to road safety

Truck drivers regularly take terrible risks due to a cutthroat contract system, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.

Editor Clive Matthew Wilson, who is an outspoken road safety campaigner, says the recent expose on contract truck drivers in New Zealand ”goes a long way to explaining the rising road toll.”

Are e-scooters operating illegally?

Dunedin Pedestrian Action Network

Press release

Are e-scooters operating illegally? 

The New Zealand Transport Agency appears to have blundered in allowing e-scooters to operate, says pedestrian advocate Dr Lynley Hood.

“The New Zealand Transport Agency allowed e-scooters onto New Zealand roads and footpaths by defining them as non-motor vehicles. However, the NZTA did not follow the procedure defined by law. Therefore, e-scooters appear to be operating illegally.”[1]

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