Road Safety Reminder

Road Safety Reminder

We’re all aware that we live in one of the most beautiful countries in the world and with the warmer weather comes the opportunity for us all to get out to explore and enjoy it.

Police are urging motorists to drive safely these holidays and avoid another tragic death on our roads.

So far in 2017, over 300 people in New Zealand have been killed on our roads, 10 of which occurred in the Franklin area. This leaves a devastating impact on affected families and communities.

Adding to this, holidays see increased numbers of vehicles travelling on the road during a concentrated period of time, increasing the collective crash risk.

Any death or injury is one too many, and everyone – including road users need to do their part to reduce road trauma. Police cannot do it alone, road safety needs to be everyone’s responsibility.

Counties Manukau South Police will have a visible and proactive presence on the road during the upcoming holiday season using a mixture of prevention and enforcement activities, focusing on areas of highest demand and risk.

The message to all drivers is simple – drive to the conditions, free from impairment and make sure everyone in the vehicle is properly restrained. By doing this, you will dramatically reduce your chances of being hurt on the road.

Part of driving to the conditions means being courteous to other drivers on the road. It’s important that drivers remain patient, courteous and respectful of others using the roads and don’t take unnecessary risks with their safety or the safety of others.

Police want to emphasise that the speed limit is just that. The speed limit is not a target and should not be exceeded. We all know our roads are unique and challenging – the faster we travel, the greater the risk. Often a strip of paint is all that separates you from oncoming traffic. If you crash, regardless of the cause or who is at fault, speed is the single factor that most affects the outcome. Just a few kilometres per hour can be the difference between avoiding a collision or a crash with a tragic outcome.

Police will continue to use discretion in ticketing drivers, with a focus on ensuring people are driving to the conditions.

South Auckland will experience a lot of traffic over the holiday period with people heading out of the city. We need your help to keep our roads safe.

On behalf of Police, I wish everyone a safe and enjoyable month.