Drivers get speeding fine reminders for $0

A police computer glitch has resulted in about 10,000 speeding fine reminder notices being sent to drivers saying they owe $0.

While police say the error will not get people off paying their fine, a Rotorua woman is prepared to challenge it.

The woman, who does not want to be identified, is confident she has a good case not to pay.

"I have got it in writing that I owe nothing," she said.

Rotorua lawyer Harry Edward said it would be interesting if the case went to court.

"I would think that if she refused to pay, the onus would then be on the police to prove that it was glitch and not a true record.

"If everyone who got those notices challenged the police, it could put them in all sorts of difficulty."

The error has been blamed on an "unpredicted glitch" in new computer software at the National Police Infringement Bureau.

National Road Policing manager Superintendent Steve Fitzgerald said the new system recently processed about 10,000 reminder notices.

They were then posted to the drivers concerned with an incorrect speeding infringement fee.

"The reminder notices incorrectly convey that the fine is zero dollars. Police acted immediately when this matter was identified."

Mr Fitzgerald said all the reminder notices were replaced with corrected versions and had since been posted to the drivers.

The new reminder notices also explain the error.

"In addition, the persons who received incorrect notices were sent further correspondence that set out clearly the correct level of infringement fee," he said.

- NZPA