The number of people who died on New Zealand roads rose sharply last year to 297 - up 43 on 2013.

Auckland drivers appear to strongly favour motorway tolls over rates rises - if they have to pay anything more to fill a $12 billion transport funding gap.

The Automobile Association (AA) today launches its Ignition programme, which gives three free driving lessons to new learner drivers who are, or are related to, AA members.

The Government is muscling in on Green Party turf by promising an extra $100 million over four years for urban cycleways.

More than 100 insurance claims have already been lodged with AA Insurance today for damages to roofs, windows and fences from the overnight storm.

Road breakdown staff are being kept busy at beaches around the country, going to the rescue of absent-minded holidaymakers.

The AA warns that closed up vehicles can become "sweatboxes'' in a matter of minutes after a blistering weekend where the AA rescued three babies from locked vehicles.

Cars banned from Australian roads due to safety concerns are still rolling into NZ, despite experts calling for a halt - and the Government admitting it needs to change.

The Government is reviewing a voluntary code of conduct for wheel-clamping, which Labour and the Automobile Association want made mandatory, with a maximum $50 fee.

Aucklanders can either introduce road tolls, or higher rates and fuel taxes to address the city's transport funding gap, a new high-level report shows.

Motorists will face petrol price rises tomorrow, with a three cents a litre government tax increase, pushing total tax on petrol to about 42.7 per cent of the pump price.

Right when teens drop their first kint about driving lessons is when parents should tidy up their own road skills notes Donna McIntyre.

Hope Appleton is pleading to be let off a curfew on restricted driving licence holders, rather than risk walking home alone from work after midnight.

When confronted by the proposals for what effectively amounts to extra taxes for Aucklanders, albeit phrased differently, Key remained wary, writes Claire Trevett.

The price of petrol has dropped below $1.95 a litre - the cheapest it's been for more than two years.

The AA has defended its hard line on driving tests as Wairarapa parents complain about young drivers failing their tests for what they claim are minor reasons.

Gull has slashed 10c a litre off the price of petrol for the remainder of Easter, putting pressure on the bigger fuel companies.

Frustrated commuters are calling for a change in retail working hours after a motorway crash caused gridlock across Auckland.

Inner-city Auckland traffic was brought to a virtual standstill after a motorway crash - gridlock that the Automobile Association described as the worst it had seen.

The unusual death of a 10-month-old boy who was run over by a trailer has prompted a coroner to renew calls for vigilance around driveways.

Overseas drivers were involved in more than 400 crashes on New Zealand roads last year, and failure to keep left, poor handling and fatigue the leading causes of deadly crashes.