DANGEROUS GOODS RULE 2016 AMENDMENT

Members may recall in May we advised NZTA were consulting on proposals to amend the Dangerous goods rule. The amended rule has been signed and will be implemented 1 October 2016.

The Rule requires a driver or operator of a vehicle carrying dangerous goods to comply with signs, on a road specified by bylaw, which indicate a prohibition or restriction on the transport of dangerous goods. The duty to comply with signs indicating prohibitions or restrictions only applies to drivers or operators of dangerous goods vehicles that are required to display placards on the vehicle. Section 7 of the Dangerous Goods Rule specifies which vehicles carrying dangerous goods have to display placards.

Penalties for breaches of the prohibitions or restrictions have been increased to act as a more effective deterrent. If a driver or operator fails to comply with a sign, then a new penalty in the Land Transport (Offences and Penalties) Regulations 1999 will be applied. The new penalty amounts are a maximum fine on conviction by a court of $2500 for individuals and $10,000 for a body corporate. New infringement fees (roadside ‘tickets’), are $500 for an individual and $1000 for a body corporate.

According to the NZTA website they will be applying “a multi-faceted approach to encourage compliance. The Rule changes will be supported by other measures including driver education and CCTV operator detection”. Neither the Agency or the rule allude to what form “driver education” will take.