Red light runners should lose licence, says Duynhoven

Harry Duynhoven

People who run red lights and overtake on double yellow lines should lose their licence, Transport Safety Minister Harry Duynhoven said today.

His comments follow the holiday season's horror road toll; 11 people have been killed in crashes since 6pm on December 23, the same figure for the entire holiday period last year.

Police predict another nine people could lose their lives before the festive season officially ends at 6am next Wednesday, January 4.

Mr Duynhoven said it had been hoped the year's toll would stay under 400 but it was sitting at 398, with a couple of days to go.

"We were very much hoping to have a road toll lower than 400 for the year because that's a psychological break point in a way," he said.

"It will be the first time in generations we'll have got below 400 if we do but, sadly, it doesn't look like we're going to."

Mr Duynhoven agreed with police that 95 per cent of New Zealanders were good drivers but 5 per cent were letting the side down.

He believed that 5 per cent should be made to pay.

"Certainly the things that I would like to see are those who, for instance, run red lights -- in my view, if you run a red light, you should be walking," he said.

"Have at least a temporary licence suspension for running a red light.

"I think people who overtake badly, or on yellow lines equally should be walking for a time.

"I might be more hardline than most on these issues but I think the public, quite frankly, have had a gutsful of bad driving."

However, people should not simply look to the Government to legislate because that was not the whole answer, Mr Duynhoven said.

He urged everyone to take responsibility for the problem, saying the public should report anyone whose driving was a risk to others.

Mr Duynhoven encouraged drivers to be patient and courteous, and said people towing caravans or horsefloats should pull over to let others pass.

National MP Simon Power supported harsher penalties for bad drivers. However, any moves to address the road toll by increasing fines would have to be backed up.

"If the road toll is going to come down, stricter penalties do need to be considered," he said.

Meanwhile, police today named two of those killed on the roads this holiday season.

Hugh Charles Nepe, 58, of Auckland, died in a collision between a camper van and car at Kotu, about 4km from Thames, on Tuesday.

On Boxing Day, Kim Diana Kennedy, 47, of Diary Flat, died when her motorcycle and a car collided on State Highway 1 at Johnsons Hill, between Orewa and Waiwera.

Police are yet to release the name of a 30-year-old man who died in a crash on Christmas night on State Highway 35, about 6km east of Te Kaha in the eastern Bay of Plenty.

Also yet to be named is a middle-aged woman who was one of two people killed in a crash on Saturday morning on State Highway 1 in Northland, about 5km south of Kawakawa.

Rotorua police expected to release today the name of a woman killed in yesterday's crash about 20km west of the town.

The woman was a back seat passenger in a car carrying three people. A 26-year-old Auckland woman was flown to Rotorua Hospital with moderate injuries.

Other deaths on the road this holiday period:

* Campbell Edward Stewart, of Auckland, died when a 4WD rolled while driving along a firebreak near Tokoroa on Tuesday;

* Oren James Reweti, 29, of Wainuiomata, died on State Highway 4, southwest of Te Kuiti about 7.30am on Tuesday. His three children and their mother were seriously hurt in the crash, which happened when they were 5-1/2 hours into a drive from Wellington to their holiday spot in the Bay of Islands. Initial reports said the car struck a tree.

* Ricky James Wallace, 19, of Brightwater, about 20km southwest of Nelson, was killed when the van in which he was a passenger crossed the centre line at State Highway 60 at Mariri, near Motueka, and collided with a Honda Integra on Tuesday.

* Richard Hohipa, a Wanganui resident, formerly of Levin, died on Christmas Day when the van in which he was a passenger lost control in Wanganui.

* Lamon Omer Leaf, 86, of Helensville, was the second person killed in Christmas Eve crash on State Highway 1 in Northland, about 5km south of Kawakawa.

* Kevin Joseph McAnally, 44, of Amberley, died after he became trapped in the burning wreckage of his car after it collided with a passenger train at a rail crossing near Sefton, about 6.30pm on Friday.

The holiday period runs from 4pm Friday, December 23, to 6am on Wednesday, January 4.

- NZPA