There will be a significant, highly visible presence of Police on major highways throughout the country this Labour Weekend in an effort to deter unsafe driver behaviour.
Labour Weekend traffic is traditionally heavy on main highways as city dwellers look to benefit from the shift to warmer weather and head for holiday destinations.
Director of Road Policing, Superintendent Steve Greally, says drivers can expect to see Police anywhere, anytime on highways across the motu.
“At times during the weekend you might see a Police vehicle every 15 or 20 minutes on some highways. Our officers will be checking for all the major types of driver behaviour that lead to road crashes,” Superintendent Greally says.
“We hope this is a real incentive for drivers to focus on getting to their destination safely by driving to the conditions and maintaining a safe speed at all times.”
There were eight deaths from road crashes at Labour Weekend last year, at a time when COVID-19 travel restrictions were in place for people in Northland, Auckland and Waikato.
“Any death on the roads is one too many and we certainly don’t want to have a repeat of that number this year. We need everyone to play their part in reducing the amount of death and injury on the roads – Police and our road safety partners can only do so much.”
Waka Kotahi Director of Land Transport Kane Patena says it’s important to plan ahead and expect congestion.
Motorists are encouraged to visit the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner website – www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz – before they travel for real-time travel information, and updates on delays, roadworks and road closures.
“Whether you’re heading out of town to see friends and whānau or staying home this long weekend, we want you to get to where you’re going safely,” Patena says.
“Take care, plan ahead and when you’re out on the roads make sure you’re considerate of others.
“Some congestion and delays are inevitable in peak times, but if everyone leaves plenty of time for their journey and drives to the conditions, they can concentrate on arriving safely at their destination.”
Police patrols will be focusing on all the major types of driver behaviour that lead to road crashes: excessive speed for the conditions; drivers who may be impaired from alcohol, drugs or fatigue; people not wearing seatbelts or the correct restraints; and drivers being distracted, particularly using mobile phones.
“These are the four main factors which contribute to road crashes, and yet they’re so easy to avoid. Just check yourself before you’re tempted to do any of these things – or think about the consequences. They’re just not worth it,” Superintendent Greally says.
“Speed is the single biggest factor in the extent of injuries that result from a crash – and can be the difference between being ‘carried away or walking away’.
“For every 1km/hr reduction in mean speed, we will see a reduction in road trauma of around 5%, which equates to around 16 lives saved.”
