The number of people hospitalised after road crashes in Canterbury has been dropping in line with the reduction in the number of road fatalities over last year.
Road Traffic Manager Neville Hyland says that there has been a steady drop in hospitalisations from 2007- 2008 which mirrors the drop from 56 deaths to 46 deaths in the same time.
"This is due to many factors," he says. "Public awareness plays a large part along with the combined resources of the various combined agencies in the area of road and traffic policing working together."
Partnerships with local government and other agencies resource advertising campaigns while others work in the area of accident reduction.
"We can achieve a great deal when working together on common goals and themes," says acting Inspector Neville Hyland. "The combination of the three strands of engineering, education and enforcement make a strong team to fight road deaths."
To counter the high road fatality and crash figures in 2007, Canterbury police tactics in 2008 focussed on areas where they felt they could have a big impact. In the first six months of 2008 the focus was on the increased wearing of restraints. This showed in results as fewer people were killed who could have been saved if they had worn a restraint. This means that other factors were the major cause of death.
In the second six months the focus was on alcohol district wide, using all police staff. This year has begun with focus on speed on roads, particularly around schools.
The Canterbury figures are in line with the National trend.
Canterbury hospitalisations as below.