Chris Bishop says the government is already working to overhaul outdated driving fines. Photo: 123RF
Transport Minister Chris Bishop supports the Automobile Association's call for harsher fines for driving offences and work is already underway.
The AA is urging the government to overhaul the penalties, many of which have gone unchanged since 1999.
"Getting stung $30 for a low-level speeding infringement in 1999 was a significant chunk out of your paycheck, but the deterrent value has eroded, when you consider the growth in wages," AA road safety spokesperson Dylan Thomsen told Morning Report on Wednesday.
Transport Minister Chris Bishop told RNZ he agreed.
"Some [penalties] haven't been updated since 1988," he said. "To put that in context, last time the fine for speeding up to 10km/h over the limit was reviewed, the minimum wage was $5.63 an hour.
"That's why we signalled in the Government's Road Safety Objectives and the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport 2024 that we are committed to reviewing penalties for traffic offences."
Bishop said work was "underway" and the government would make and announce its decisions, after the process was complete.
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