KEY POINTS:
Novice motorcycle riders face tough new restrictions including limits on the size of bike they can ride under a Government proposal.
Transport Safety Minister Harry Duynhoven announced the motorcycle safety proposals as part of the Road Safety to 2010 strategy.
Main proposals were:
* Restricting the use of powerful motorcycles by novice riders. Learner and restricted motorcycle licence holders would only be able to ride motorcycles which did not exceed a power-to-weight ratio of 150 kilowatts a tonne and were not too physically large for the rider.
* Changing the Graduated Driver Licensing System to reduce the restricted motorcycle licence period by six months for riders who completed approved motorcycle-specific training courses.
* Introducing a motorcycle-specific competency assessment option as an alternative to the restricted and full licence tests for riders who did an approved motorcycle-specific training course in the learner licence phase.
* Setting a maximum three-year validity period for all learner motorcycle licences.
* Removing the 70km/h speed limit restriction _ which applies to learner motorcycle licence holders.
* Introducing 25 demerit points for not wearing helmets but reducing the level of fine from $150 to $50.
* Increasing the minimum time period motorcyclists over 25 spend on a restricted licence from six to 12 months.
* Requiring daytime running on headlights at all times.
Mr Duynhoven said since 2001 the number of motorcycles had risen by 28 per cent and over the same period people injured in motorcycle accidents had increased a "staggering" 80 per cent.
"These proposals clearly target novice motorcyclists because these riders face the greatest crash risk. They are paying far too high a price - in 2007 motorcyclists and pillions accounted for 10 per cent of all road fatalities."
He said more people were expected to use motorcycles as the cost of fuel increased.
ACC Minister Maryan Street said since 2001 claims for motorcycle accidents had nearly doubled and the annual ACC claim costs now exceeded $52 million.
"Riding a motorcycle is risky. Motorcyclists make up only 2 per cent of vehicles on the road but account for 18 per cent of road claims received by ACC."
She said increasing visibility would make motorcyclists safer. They were not to blame for three-quarters of the accidents they were involved in.
The public will get a chance to comment on the proposals later in the year.
In a speech to the Automobile Association conference announcing the changes, Mr Duynhoven also repeated his view that compulsory third-party insurance was needed.
He said the cost of uninsured motorists was between $53 million and $85 million a year.
Most developed countries had compulsory third-party insurance and young, novice and accident-prone drivers paid higher premiums.
- NZPA
