Police to 'twirl' around cars for safety checks

Motorists will soon see police doing a "twirl" when they're pulled over for routine checks.

It sounds like a dance, but it's actually a new set of checks police will be doing around the country aimed at improving vehicle safety.

The TWIRL, which stands for Tyres, Windscreen wipers and mirrors, Indicators, Rust and Lights, supports the New Zealand Transport Agency's (NZTA) safety campaign to shift more responsibility onto motorists for their car's roadworthiness.

The NZTA wants drivers to rely less on just having a Warrant or Certificate of Fitness.

National road policing manager Superintendent Carey Griffiths says police stop more than 3.5 million vehicles a year.

"Most of these give us the perfect opportunity to make sure the driver and vehicle are fit for the road," he says in the latest Ten One police magazine.

The checks will be added to the alcohol breath test and driver licence checks police already do and officers will also check for loose or damaged parts or other issues which affect roadworthiness.

"The focus is on making cars safer, so our aim is educating drivers and getting vehicles fixed through compliance options", Supt Griffiths says.

But police will still use pink and green stickers to order unsafe cars off the roads if necessary.

Police have also been distributing NZTA flyers to drivers with information about the new checks.

New Warrant of Fitness rules came into force on January 1, which mean vehicles registered after the year 2000 will require annual inspections, and vehicles registered before 2000 will remain six-monthly.

The Government believes the changes will save motorists and businesses $160 million a year. But the Motor Trade Association (MTA) says it makes cars more dangerous because drivers will go longer without checks raising the possibility of something going wrong with them.

MTA marketing and communications general manager Ian Strolloch isn't sure if motorists have the "time or inclination" to check their own vehicles properly.

"The Twirl campaign does refer people to experts if they're in doubt, but you're looking to people to make a considerable mind change in the way they look after cars compared to how they used to."

3 News

source: newshub archive