Cellphone dobbers put brakes on bad drivers

More motorists appear to be dobbing in drivers who break the rules, with a noticeable increase in numbers reported for bad driving behaviour over the Christmas break, police say.

Richard Shortt, development manager at the police communications service centre, said police were still tallying the number of complaints received over the holiday period about bad driving, but anecdotal evidence from communications centres in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch suggested a big increase in complaints, especially just before Christmas.

Among examples of bad driving dobbed in was a man stopped near Dunedin, who was caught after motorists complained about his travelling too close and cutting in while overtaking. He was issued with instant infringement notices totalling $300. Mr Shortt said he believed the increase in calls was because motorists were becoming more aware and less tolerant of unacceptable behaviour on the road.

The fact that more people had access to cellphones and knew they could do something about bad behaviour by phoning *555, which connects callers to police, had helped.

More people were also on the road around Christmas, so there was more opportunity for bad driving and for people to report bad driving behaviour, he said.

Despite the apparent increase in complaints, and a disastrous end to last year's holiday season, with 22 deaths on the road, the national road toll ended at 452, the lowest in 37 years.

- NZPA

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