Eighty per cent of people want the legal driving age raised to 18 or higher.

Holidaymakers heading back to Auckland today are being urged to take a different route to avoid one of the region's most heavily congested roads.

Experts believe publicity around new laws on cellphone use, drugged drivers and illegal street racing led to the smallest number of road deaths ever recorded.

New Zealand's road toll was running last night at its second lowest since 1960, although the police still want drivers to take extra care over New Year.

Two of the best months recorded on New Zealand roads have given officials hope that there will be fewer than 400 deaths this year.

Following a south Auckland booze blitz which nabbed 81 alleged drink-drivers on Saturday night, nzherald.co.nz today followed those and other offenders through the courts.

The motorist who knocked down four cyclists on Auckland's Tamaki Drive has pleaded guilty to four charges of careless driving.

"The number of women [caught] was just amazing. Years ago, it was just men who were dumb enough to drink drive," a road policing manager says.

A teenager whose night of drinking ended with the death of his best friend in a road crash has been jailed for five years.

Using a hands-free phone while driving is as distracting as using a hand-held phone, Consumer magazine says.

Many drivers are disobeying the law that makes it illegal to use a cellphone behind the wheel.

Police reported high compliance with the new hand-held cellphone ban after its introduction yesterday.

Holding your cellphone while driving is now banned - but debate is still raging over whether the new law will reduce the accident rate.