Call on me (but not when I'm driving) - The impact on employers of the new cellphone ban
The Government has confirmed that from 1 November it will be unlawful to use a handheld cellphone while driving. This includes talking, texting or emailing on any portable electronic device and will apply to all vehicles, commercial and private.
There are 23 other amendments to the Road User Rule. For Q&A’s on the Land Transport (Road User) Amendment Rule [2009] and the Hands free Employment news release from Russell McVeah – click here.
Warrant of Fitness
A Warrant of Fitness (WoF) is a periodic safety inspection that is compulsory for light vehicles. A light vehicle is a car, station wagon, van or 4WD vehicle. It can also be a moped, motorcycle or similar, including a trike.
Legally, to operate your vehicle on public roads, you must have your vehicle inspected for a Warrant of Fitness (WoF):
- every 12 months, if your vehicle is less than six years old
- every six months, if your vehicle is more than six years old
and maintain it at the WoF standard in between WoF inspections.
A Warrant of Fitness inspection includes the following safety checks:
- Tyre condition (including tread depth)
- Brake operation Structural condition (rust isn't allowed in certain key areas)
- Lights (are all bulbs working?)
- Glazing (is your windscreen safe?)
- Windscreen washers and wipers (do they work?)
- Doors (do they open and close safely?)
- Safety belts (must not be faded or damaged; buckles must work properly)
- Airbags (if fitted - SRS light should work correctly)
- Speedometer (must be working)
- Steering and suspension (must be safe and secure)
- Exhaust (there must be no leaks and the exhaust must not be too loud or too smoky)
- Fuel system (there must be no leaks).
After your vehicle passes its Warrant of Fitness check, it becomes your responsibility to keep it in the condition that it was in when it passed the inspection.
Please note that a Warrant of Fitness inspection isn't a Pre-Purchase Inspection though you can get a thorough Pre-Purchase Inspection from many VTNZ stations. The Warrant of Fitness doesn't cover many areas of a vehicle's condition such as:
- Engine, clutch, gearbox and differential
- Lubricant levels and condition
- Brake pad thickness or life expectancy
- Paint work condition and rust in non-structural areas.
WoF expiry dates
The WoF starts from the date your vehicle passes the inspection. However, if you bring your vehicle to us a few days before the current WoF expires, the expiry date of the new WoF can be extended, equal to the number of days you had left on the old WoF (to a maximum of 14 days).
What happens when your vehicle fails its Warrant of Fitness inspection?
If your vehicle fails its Warrant of Fitness inspection and your old Warrant of Fitness has expired, you are not allowed to drive it on the road (unless it is being operated solely for the purpose of bringing it into compliance and obtaining a new WoF, and provided the vehicle is safe to be operated for that purpose).
When all the areas that required attention have been fixed, the re-check is free of charge as long as you return the vehicle to us within 28 days of the first inspection.