Canterbury Police are focusing on seatbelt safety and drivers’ mobile phone use behind the wheel as part of the nationwide Operation Habit, which launched on Monday and runs until Sunday 7 August 2016.
The message is simple - seatbelts save lives.
There’s been a sudden increase in deaths associated with restraints not being worn – from an average of 57 per year from 2012-2014, to 92 in 2015. Nationally, between January and March 2016, 41% of vehicle occupants killed in road crashes were unrestrained at the time of the crash. This translates to 28 people whose deaths may have otherwise been prevented.
“In Canterbury, too many of our fatal crashes are linked to drivers or passengers not wearing their seatbelts,” says Canterbury Road Policing Manager, Inspector Al Stewart.
“Despite studies showing that wearing your seatbelt reduces your chance of death or serious injury in a crash by at least 40%, far too many local drivers are putting themselves and their families at risk by not using them.”
All child passengers, up to the age of seven, have to be restrained in an appropriate child restraint, such as a baby capsule, toddler’s car seat, or pre-schooler’s booster seat. It is also the driver’s responsibility to ensure that all passengers under the age of 15 are wearing suitable restraints.
“It’s just a matter of physics,” says Mr Stewart. “Anything unrestrained in a vehicle when it stops suddenly, will continue to travel at the speed the vehicle was going until something stops it. For a rear seat passenger, that could be the head of the person in front of them, or the road after they travel through the windscreen.
“The death or serious injury of any child is a tragedy, and even more so when it can be so easily prevented by ensuring they are restrained in your vehicle.”
Driver distractions can come in many forms and are another of the key targets during Operation Habit – particularly those posed by mobile phones.
“You are increasing your risk of being involved in a crash if you are talking on your mobile phone, even more so if you are crazy enough to be texting,” says Mr Stewart.
“You are piloting a ton and a half of metal along the road at anywhere between 50 and 100 kilometres an hour. It’s alarming that drivers would take their eyes off the road to receive or send a text, yet we see it every day, despite the majority of New Zealanders supporting the legislation.”
Any driver caught using a hand held mobile phone while driving faces an $80 fine and 20 demerit points. A driver who receives more than 100 demerit points in a two-year period will have their licence suspended for three months.
“Put your phone away in your bag, in the glove box, or in the boot – anywhere where the sound of a call or text coming in isn’t going to distract you – or leave it with a passenger” said Mr Stewart. “Answering that call or text could put you, your passengers and other road users at risk. No phone call or text is that important.
“We don’t want to see any more broken Canterbury families and communities affected by the massive trauma of a fatal crash.”
ENDS
*** NOTE FOR MEDIA ***
Canterbury Road Policing Manager Inspector Al Stewart is available for interviews from 8am to 12 noon on Wednesday 27 July 2016. Please contact Insp Stewart on (03) 363 7417 to arrange.