Police are urging motorists to buckle up and stay safe after being swamped with seat belt offences during Operation Tahi. Enforcement on South Island's State Highway One from mid-April focused on seat belts and careless or dangerous driving behaviour. Of the 800 offences ticketed 157 were for failing to wear a seat belt or ensuring a child was safely restrained.
Officers reported particular concerns in Otago and Southland over local attitudes to wearing seat belts, especially around Balclutha, Gore and Mataura. More than half the seat belt offences dealt with (85) came from these areas.
Highway Patrol Sergeant Geoff Sutherland, who worked in Gore during the operation, says at times seat belt offences were being detected so frequently they could only deal with about 40% of them.
"It's not just urban areas, either. People are venturing out of town without wearing their seat belt and along State Highway One."
Mr Sutherland says it's particularly disappointing given the area has had a difficult time of late, with too many fatal and serious injury crashes. "We'll definitely go back again to focus on seat belts. People just don't seem to be getting the message."
Police also cracked down on dangerous driving behaviours, including failing to keep left (corner cutting) and following too close, and issued 497 tickets for speeding offences.
Operation Tahi is a five-month exercise to improve safety along State Highway One in the South Island. Ending June 30th, Tahi will cycle through phases targeting alcohol, speed, high-risk and dangerous driving, seat belts, and commercial and heavy vehicles.
ENDS