Waka Kotahi, Auckland Transport and WorkSafe are joining forces to urge everyone to stay safe on the road this Queen’s Birthday weekend.
Planning your journey ahead of the long weekend and ensuring that your vehicle is safe for the trip are two of the most effective things people can do to avoid a long-weekend tragedy.
“It’s our friends and whānau whose lives we’re talking about. Everyone should get where they’re going safely – whether they’re walking, cycling, driving, motorcycling or using public transport,” says Kane Patena, Director of Land Transport at Waka Kotahi.
Planning your journey well and checking that your vehicle is roadworthy before heading out on the road are the first important steps.
The Waka Kotahi journey planner is a practical tool for checking travel time information, finding the best route and getting updates on roadworks and closures. The online tool gives traffic and congestion predictions based on previous years’ travel patterns.
Journey Planner(external link)
“With heavy holiday traffic it’s important people plan for longer journey times, and take practical steps like sharing the driving to avoid the risk of a crash from fatigue. No one should be killed or seriously injured on our roads,” Mr Patena says.
Auckland Transport Executive GM of Safety Stacey Van Der Putten is urging Aucklanders travelling over the long weekend to be patient and leave extra time for their trips.
“Public holidays are peak travel times when there is a lot of traffic out on the roads. Many of the tragedies on our roads can be avoided. We want everyone to enjoy their time off so leaving extra time for your journey and having a bit of patience will mean everyone gets home safely.”
WorkSafe is also urging those not on holiday for the long weekend to keep safety top of mind on the road.
“For many people work continues over the long weekend, so to those who are travelling as part of their work or using vehicles for their jobs, remember the higher traffic flow and make sure you and your employer have considered all the risks this might add on top of your normal risk assessment and check out Waka Kotahi’s vehicle safety checklist so you can get home healthy and safe," says WorkSafe's Director Engagement and Implementation Angela Mansell.
