Highway Patrol

Senior Constable Tom Elise, a member of the Wellington District Highway Patrol. Photo: Debbie Corney, copyright New Zealand Police 2001.

New Zealand Police formed a special Highway Patrol unit at the end of 2000.

The Highway Patrol's aim is to help reduce road trauma and make our roads safer by providing a highly visible, dedicated police presence.

The Highway Patrol cars carry the distinctive blue and yellow police colours. They are distinguished from other police vehicles which feature orange and yellow colours.

Highway Patrol staff are based almost exclusively on state highways, which contribute 39 percent of the social cost of crashes.

Higher visibility on the roads gives the public a sense of confidence that police are not only out there, but are taking an active interest in their safety. A visible presence also acts as a deterrent to those who wish to flout the road laws.