Survey of New Zealanders' attitudes to proposed road safety interventions: Executive Summary

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Background

Various measures to improve road safety are under consideration. This survey was undertaken to assess public opinion regarding the proposed safety interventions.

Method

A face to face survey of 1371 New Zealand residents was undertaken for the LTSA by National Research Bureau, during October and November 2003.

Results of the survey

Drink driving related interventions

• 76% support or strongly support automatic loss of licence for drivers caught with a blood alcohol of 130 mg / 100mls.
• 93% support or strongly support vehicle impoundment for people caught drink-driving three or more times.
• 58% support or strongly support an option for repeat drink drivers to have alcohol interlocks fitted instead of disqualification.
• Given a choice between lowering the adult blood alcohol limit or leaving it as it is, 53% prefer the option of lowering the limit to 50mg / 100mls, while 45% prefer it to remain at 80 mg/100mls.
• Given a choice between lowering the youth blood alcohol limit or leaving it as it is, 61% choose the option of lowering the limit to zero. 37% prefer it to remain at 30mg/ 100mls.

Speed- related interventions

• 49% support or strongly support giving demerit points for speed camera infringements. 41% are opposed or strongly opposed to this proposal. The remainder are undecided or have no opinion.
• 57% support or strongly support the use of hidden cameras. 32% oppose the use of hidden cameras. The remainder are undecided or have no opinion.
• 66% support or strongly support roadside licence suspension for driving at 130 km/h in a 100km/h zone.
• 70% support or strongly support roadside licence suspension for driving at 80km/h in a 50km/h zone.
• 73% support or strongly support adopting the 'double or nothing' licence suspension option in New Zealand.

Conclusion

There is majority support for each of the proposed interventions. In every case but one, there is an absolute majority in favour of the proposed intervention. A number of interventions attract very strong support, including vehicle impoundment for repeat drink-driving for which support is close to universal.

Survey of New Zealanders' attitudes to proposed road safety interventions

Survey method

1371 New Zealand residents aged 15 and over were surveyed in towns, cities and rural areas throughout New Zealand. Those who agreed to participate were interviewed face to face in their own homes. The survey was carried out by trained interviewers from National Research Bureau, during October and early November 2003. The survey has a maximum margin of error of 3%. (A margin of error of plus or minus 3% means that there is a 95% chance that the responses of the New Zealand population as a whole would fall somewhere between 3% more or 3% less than the responses of the sample, that is, a 6% spread).

Results

Loss of licence at 130 mg / 100mls

• 76% ¹ support or strongly support automatic loss of licence for drivers caught with a blood alcohol of 130 mg / 100mls.
• Support is strongest among those aged 25 and over.

Question 2: "The alcohol limit for adult drivers is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 mls of blood. Currently, anyone who is caught driving at twice this limit, that is 160 milligrams, automatically loses their driver's licence for 28 days. A new proposal is that drivers would automatically lose their licences for 28 days at 130 milligrams instead of 160. Do you support or oppose this? Please choose an answer which best matches your opinion from the scale on this card A."

Card A reads "Lose licence for 28 days if caught driving with blood alcohol level greater than 130 milligrams per 100mls of blood", followed by the scale below.

Response	% giving response
Strongly support	40%
Support	35%
Neither support nor oppose	9%
Oppose	10%
Strongly oppose	4%
Don't know2	1%

(Note: Figures shown have been rounded to the nearest 1% and may not add to exactly 100%).

Vehicle impoundment for repeat drink-driving

• 93% support or strongly support vehicle impoundment for people caught drink-driving three or more times.
• Support is strongest among those aged 25 and over.

Question 3: "At the moment someone who drives when they've been ordered not to by the court, can have their car impounded on the spot for 28 days. How would you feel if the same penalty applied to people caught drink-driving three or more times? Please choose your answer from Card B."

Card B reads "Driver's vehicle impounded for 28 days if caught drink-driving three or more time", followed by scale below.

Response	% giving response
Strongly support	68%
Support	25%
Neither support nor oppose	3%
Oppose	3%
Strongly oppose	1%
Don't know3	0%

Alcohol ignition interlocks

• 58%⁴ support or strongly support an option for repeat drink drivers to have alcohol interlocks fitted instead of disqualification.

Question 4: "At present, repeat drink-drivers are disqualified from driving for at least a year. It is possible to fit devices to cars which automatically stop people who have been drinking from driving the car. A driver who is about to be disqualified could be offered this device instead of being disqualified. The driver would have to use the device and could not drive another vehicle. Using the scale on Card C, do you support or oppose giving drivers this option?"

Card C reads: "Instead of disqualification for a year, an option for repeat drink drivers to have their vehicle fitted with a device which stops it being driven if the driver has been drinking", followed by the scale below.

Response	% giving response
Strongly support	26%
Support	31%
Neither support nor oppose	14%
Oppose	18%
Strongly oppose	9%
Don't know	1%

(Note: Figures shown have been rounded to the nearest 1% and may not add to exactly 100%).

Lower adult blood alcohol limit to 50 mg/ 100mls

• Given a choice between lowering the adult blood alcohol limit to 50mg/100mls, and leaving it as it is, 53% would prefer to lower the limit to 50mg / 100mls, while 45% prefer it to remain at 80 mg/100mls.
• Support for lowering the adult blood alcohol limit is strongest among women (60% support) and weakest among young males (39% of males aged 15-19 support lowering the limit).
• There are no significant differences between rural, urban and metropolitan residents.

Question 5: "As I said before, the New Zealand alcohol limit for adult drivers is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 mls of blood. In Australia and many other countries, the alcohol limit is 50 milligrams. A new proposal is that, if a driver's alcohol content is between 50 and 80 milligrams, they will be given a ticket but will not have to go to Court. If the driver's blood alcohol content is above 80 milligrams, they will have to go to Court. Do you support or oppose adopting this in New Zealand?

Please read Card D and then indicate from the scale below, the answer which best matches your opinion."

Card D reads "If the driver's alcohol content is between 50 and 80, they will be given a ticket but will not have to go to Court.

If the driver's blood alcohol content is above 80, they will have to go to Court, as at present."

Response	% giving response
The limit should be lowered to 50, as described above	53%
The limit should be left at 80	45%
Don't know5	3%

(Note: Figures shown have been rounded to the nearest 1% and may not add to exactly 100%).

Lower youth blood alcohol limit

• Given a choice between lowering the youth blood alcohol limit or leaving it as it is, 61% choose the option of lowering the limit to zero. 37% prefer it to remain at 30mg/ 100mls.
• Support for lowering the youth alcohol limit is lowest among young people aged 15 to 24, 42% of whom are in favour of lowering the limit.

Question 6: "The alcohol limit for drivers aged less than 20 is 30 milligrams of alcohol per 100 mls of blood. A new proposal is that it will be illegal for people aged under 20 to drive after drinking any alcoholic beverage. If caught they will be given a ticket but will not have to go to Court. If the driver's blood alcohol content is above 30, they will have to go to Court, as at present. Please read Card E (SHOW CARD E) and then indicate from the options below, the answer which best matches your opinion."

Card E reads: "If the driver is aged 20 years or younger and their alcohol content is over 0 but less than 30, they will be given a ticket but will not have to go to court.

If the driver's blood alcohol is above 30 they will have to go to court, as at present."

Response	% giving response
The limit should be lowered to 0, as described above	61%
The limit should be left at 30	37%
Don't know6	2%

Demerit points for speed camera infringements

• 49% support or strongly support giving demerit points for speed camera infringements. 41% are opposed or strongly opposed to this proposal. The remainder are undecided or expressed no opinion.

Question 7: "Demerit points are currently given for some traffic offences and, if you get too many demerit points, you lose your licence. Drivers caught speeding by a Police officer get both demerit points and a fine. Drivers caught speeding by a speed camera only get the fine. Would you support or oppose giving demerit points to drivers caught by speed cameras? Use the scale on this card F." (Card F shows the scale below).

Response	% giving response
Strongly support	19%
Support	30%
Neither support nor oppose	10%
Oppose	26%
Strongly oppose	15%
Don't know6	1%

(Note: Figures shown have been rounded to the nearest 1% and may not add to exactly 100%).

Use of hidden speed cameras

• 57% support or strongly support the use of hidden cameras. 32%⁷ oppose the use of hidden cameras and the rest are undecided or expressed no opinion.
• Support for the use of hidden cameras is higher among women (67% support) than men (46% support).

Question 8: "Do you support or oppose the use of hidden cameras to catch speeding drivers? Please choose an answer from this Card F which best matches your opinion." (Card F shows the scale below).

Response	% giving response
Strongly support	21%
Support	36%
Neither support nor oppose	11%
Oppose	19%
Strongly oppose	12%
Don't know3	0%

(Note: Figures shown have been rounded to the nearest 1% and may not add to exactly 100%).

Roadside licence suspension at 130 km/h in a 100 km/h zone

• 66% support or strongly support roadside licence suspension for driving at 130 km/h in a 100km/h zone.

Question 9: "Currently, if someone is caught driving at over 150 kilometres per hour in a 100 K area they lose their licence on the spot, for 28 days. Do you support or oppose applying the same penalty to those caught driving at over 130 kilometres per hour? Please use the scale on this card." (The card shows the scale below).

Response	% giving response
Strongly support	25%
Support	41%
Neither support nor oppose	10%
Oppose	18%
Strongly oppose	6%
Don't know8	0%

Roadside licence suspension at 80 km/h in a 50 km/h zone

• 70% support or strongly support roadside licence suspension for driving at 80km/h in a 50km/h zone.

Question 10: "Currently, if someone is caught going over 100 kilometres per hour in a 50 K area they lose their licence on the spot, for 28 days. Do you support or oppose applying this same penalty to those caught driving at over 80 kilometres per hour? Please use the scale on this card." (The card shows the scale below).

Response	% giving response
Strongly support	28%
Support	42%
Neither support nor oppose	9%
Oppose	17%
Strongly oppose	4%
Don't know9	0%

'Double or nothing' licence suspension option

• 73% support or strongly support adopting the 'double or nothing' practice in New Zealand.

Question: "In parts of Australia drivers with too many demerit points can choose between losing their licence for the standard period of time, or keeping their licence on condition that they commit no further driving offences for one year. If they choose to keep their licence, but offend again within a year, they lose their licence for double the standard time. Use the scale on the bottom of the card to select an answer closest to your opinion on whether you support or oppose adopting this in New Zealand."

Card G reads: 'Double or Nothing'. Drivers with too many demerit points could choose to: a. Lose their licence for the normal time OR b. Keep their licence on condition that they commit no further driving offences for a year. If they offend within a year, they will lose their licence for double the standard time.

Response	% giving response
Strongly support	25%
Support	48%
Neither support nor oppose	9%
Oppose	13%
Strongly oppose	5%
Don't know9	0%

Conclusion

There is majority support for each of the proposed interventions. In every case but one, there is an absolute majority in favour of the proposed intervention. A number of interventions attract very strong support, including vehicle impoundment for repeat drink-driving for which support is close to universal.

Appendix: Sample details

Driver's licence holders

87% of those interviewed had a driver's licence. 91% of those aged 25 to 64, had a driver's licence.

Gender

Gender	% sample	% population aged 15+
Female	54%	52%
Male	46%	48%
Total	100%	100%

Age group

Age group	% sample	% population aged 15+
15-24	13%	19%
25-34	17%	17%
35-44	22%	21%
45-54	16%	16%
50-64	12%	12%
65+	20%	15%
Total	100%	100%

Metropolitan / Urban / Rural

Area	% sample	% population aged 15+
Metropolitan	50%	54%
Other urban centres	25%	22%
Rural and rural centres	24%	23%
Total	100%	100%

Footnotes:

1. Figure calculated before rounding.
2. 'Don't know' was not included as an option on the card shown to respondents.
3. 'Don't know' was not included as an option on the card shown to respondents.
4. Figure calculated before rounding.
5. 'Don't know' was not included as an option on the card shown to respondents.
6. 'Don't know' was not included as an option on the card shown to respondents.
7. Figure calculated before rounding.
8. 'Don't know' was not included as an option on the card shown to respondents.
9. 'Don't know' was not included as an option on the card shown to respondents.

Last updated: 16 December 2003