The Ministry of Transport has commissioned Research International to carry out the survey. All interviewers carry official identification cards.
A trained interviewer visits each selected household and invites the members to complete a memory jogger (PDF 162KB) to record all their travel over two days. People who drive a truck, bus or taxi for a living complete a special professional driver memory jogger(PDF 148KB ).
The interviewer returns after the travel days to conduct a personal interview with each person in the household.
The interview includes questions about the travel in the memory jogger, alcohol consumption and driving experience as well as some general background questions.
Blocks of houses used for the Census (called meshblocks) are picked at random. Selected houses in the meshblock are sent a letter describing the survey and advising that a surveyor will call.
An interviewer visits the houses and invites people to take part. The people in the house note down their travel on two particular days.
As soon as possible after the travel days the interviewer comes back and interviews each household member.
Over five to seven years every household in the meshblock will be invited to take part in the survey. Then the survey will move to different meshblocks and the process will start over again.
The information we collect is used for statistical purposes only. Full names are not recorded and no information will be published that identifies an individual or a household.