Road map for rule change
Public consultation on the draft amendment for the roll-out of compulsory electronic stability control (ESC) will start in early March. The amended rule is expected to be signed by Michael Woodhouse, Associate Minister for Transport, in early July. ESC will be mandated for light vehicles by the Land Transport Rule: Light Vehicle Brakes Amendment 2014, which will amend the Land Transport Rule: Light Vehicle Brakes 2002. “There is clear evidence mandating this technology for new and used imported into New Zealand will improve road safety,” says Leo Mortimer, manager of land transport safety at the Ministry of Transport. “We’ve had valuable input from the used and new vehicle industries. The next step is to have further public consultation.” Mandating ESC is a “key deliverable” of the Safer Journeys Action Plan 2013-15, which is part of Safer Journeys’ New Zealand’s Road Safety Strategy 2010-20. Information about how to make a submission will be available on the NZTA’s website in early March. It’s proposed to mandate ESC according to the following timetable:
- New light passenger and goods vehicles first registered in New Zealand from July 1, 2015.
- Used class MC vehicles – four-wheel-drive SUVs and off-road vehicles – first registered in New Zealand from January 1, 2016.
- Used class MA vehicles – passenger cars – with engine capacity greater than two litres first registered in New Zealand from January 1, 2018.
- All used light passenger and goods vehicles first registered in New Zealand from January 1, 2020.
