The NZ Transport Agency is urging New Zealand to aim for a holiday weekend free of deaths and serious injuries on our roads.
“Fatalities and serious injuries from road crashes shouldn’t be an accepted part of our long weekends. The NZTA and Police will be working hard to keep the roads safe, and we’re asking drivers to do their part to keep the weekend tragedy-free,” said NZTA spokesperson Andy Knackstedt.
Mr Knackstedt said the NZTA would be working to ensure traffic flowed as safely and smoothly as possible, including stopping work on most roadworks over the weekend and closing some passing lanes to calm traffic and discourage dangerous overtaking. The agency would also use roadside electronic messages to advise motorists of traffic conditions ahead and to direct people to alternate routes where necessary.
“The NZTA will also work with Police to manage traffic and help people avoid hold ups wherever possible, and we are fully supporting Police efforts to ensure that all traffic travels at a safe speed over the long weekend.
“It’s also important that every driver does their part by taking responsibility for their own driving to help everyone get through safely. On long weekends there is a tendency to focus on getting away and getting home again, rather than concentrating on the driving task.
“We’re asking people to drive to the conditions, take regular breaks and share the driving, wherever they are heading this weekend. It’s also the start of winter, so it’s especially important that we’re all aware of the road conditions and adjust our driving accordingly.”
The NZTA is working together with Police, ACC, the Ministry of Transport, the AA and others to provide a safe road system in New Zealand which is increasingly free of death and serious injury. This approach recognises that people make mistakes, that some crashes are inevitable, and that those who build and design the roads must share responsibility with those who use them for reducing the likelihood of death or serious injury from road crashes. The safe system includes safe roads and roadsides, safe vehicles, safe speeds and safe drivers – for more go to http://www.nzta.govt.nz/network/operating/safely/safer-roads/(external link)
