Media Release
Saving Lives Now
Police are appealing for urgent public assistance as the Road toll in the Eastern District climbs toward a record high.
Superintendent Grant Nicholls said each death represents a tremendous loss to our Community and the effects are wide-reaching as each death is surrounded by a circle of family, friends and acquaintances who are grieving.
Earlier this week Police held meetings to review strategies and reduce the likelihood of deaths on our roads as Labour Weekend approaches. There will be increased patrols, co-ordinated and deployed to risk with a view of enhancing the safety of people travelling through the Eastern District.
"We cannot afford to tolerate low level speeding; along with those choosing to consume alcohol over the legal limit and drive. These factors continue to be present in some road crashes."
A life saving action that is so simple, it should become second nature is to wear a seat belt. "We are still seeing those who choose not to wear a seat belt and quite simply they are playing Russian Roulette with their lives, the message is clear – choose to use or potentially lose."
Over the Labour Weekend there will be high visibility and covert Police activity on our roads. Just because a uniformed patrol vehicle is not sighted, does not mean the Police are not patrolling the area. There will be a co-ordinated approach of both marked and unmarked vehicles, speed detection vehicles and staff specialising in the apprehension of alcohol impaired drivers.
The weekend "will see proactive enforcement designed to change behaviours and thereby reduce deaths and injuries on our roads."
Nationally 126 New Zealanders died last year because of drivers travelling too fast. And approximately 80% of those killed or injured on the roads were men. "This means there are children who no longer have a brother, a father or an uncle any more as a result of speed."
You are twice as likely to be involved in a fatal crash if your vehicle is travelling at 120 kilometres an hour than if it is travelling at 100 kilometres an hour and you are four times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash if your vehicle is travelling at 140 kph than if it is travelling at 100 kph. "The figures speak for themselves and it is obvious to see why Police are targeting speed because it is clearly related to death on our roads."
No matter how good the driver thinks they are, the physics of speed mean the faster they are going the less time and space they have to react and the more severe the injuries.
Police are appealing for the Public to take more care on the roads and reduce the opportunity for a crash to occur. "Lets make common sense, common practice on our roads."
Superintendent Grant Nicholls
Superintendent
District Commander : Eastern District