New Zealanders accept 104 kph holiday speed tolerance

New Zealanders accept more than oppose the police practice of imposing a 104 kph open road speed tolerance limit during holiday periods.

As the nation heads toward the major Easter and Anzac Day holiday break, an independently conducted Horizon Research survey finds 42.6% of adults nationwide support imposing a 104 kph tolerance during holiday periods only while 30% oppose or strongly oppose.

Asked if the 104kph tolerance should be imposed year round, 42.6% support the idea, but 37% oppose or strongly oppose.

Most Kiwis also do not want to see the 110 kph tolerance increased year round or increased outside of holiday periods.

54.1% are against a 110 kph speed tolerance year-round, 20.1% for.

54% also oppose increasing the 110 kph speed tolerance outside holiday periods, while 20.7% support this.

Horizon Research’s Manager, Grant McInman, says there is no huge opposition to reducing the speed tolerance during holiday periods.

However, younger New Zealanders dislike the idea of lower holiday period speed tolerances: While 19% of the adult population as a whole oppose, this jumps to 27.3% of 18-24 year-olds.

By income, those most opposed earned $200,000 or more a year: 61.2% oppose or strongly oppose the lower holiday period tolerance while only 20.1% support it.

Horizon surveyed 3,104 respondents aged 18+. Weighted to represent the adult population the survey has a maximum margin of error of +/- 1.7% at a 95% confidence level.  91.2% of respondents had a valid licence to drive in New Zealand.

Which of the following do you support or oppose?

Change permanently to 104kph tolerance year-round

Impose 104kph tolerance limit during holiday periods only

Keep 110 kph tolerance year round

Increase 110kph speed tolerance year-round

Increase 110kph speed tolerance except during holiday periods

For further information please contact

Grant McInman, Manager, Horizon Research

E-mail: gmcinman@horizonresearch.co.nz, telephone 021 076 2040