Drive to survive this Queens Birthday Weekend

During Queens Birthday weekend last year, there were six fatal crashes and 114 reported injury crashes across New Zealand. These crashes resulted in ten deaths, 32 serious injuries and 127 minor injuries.

"Our weekends are killing us, when you get behind the wheel you need to take responsibility for yourself and your passengers by making safe decisions. Road safety is everyone's responsibility and Police will be out doing their part too.

"Police do not want to spend another holiday weekend dealing with carnage on the roads, so please help us in our goal of saving lives.The most effective tool we have in the fight to keep you and your family alive is enforcement of the road rules," says Superintendent Paula Rose. "The speed limit is just that- the limit".

Police are urging drivers to take special care on Western Bay of Plenty roads over Queens Birthday weekend particularly given the weather forecast for rain on Sunday & Monday.

Drivers can expect to experience heavier than normal traffic flows over Queens Birthday Weekend and S/Sgt Ian Campion says drivers need to reduce speeds, respect following distances, drive to the conditions and be patient taking extra care during overtaking manoeuvres. During wet conditions it's often unsafe to travel at the speed limit so knock 20km/h off and increase following distances to a minimum of four seconds Ian says.

Senior Sergeant Ian Campion says Police will be out in force over the holiday period and will prosecute every driver caught more than 4km/h over the speed limit to help deter unsafe driving which puts lives at risk.

Drivers exceeding any posted speed limit by more than 40km/h will have their drivers licence suspended immediately for a period of 28 days and all drivers can expect to be breath tested anytime anywhere.

On a dry road at 100km/h it takes 98 metres to stop under ideal conditions, that’s almost the length of a football field, but stopping distances are almost doubled when the road is wet and there is also a higher likelihood of loosing control.

Holiday driving requires special care, consideration, concentration and planning. It’s important that drivers give themselves plenty of time to make their journey safely, take regular breaks and ensure everyone in the vehicle is wearing their seat belt or properly restrained in an approved child restraint. Slower drivers need to be considerate and pull over to let faster traffic pass.

The key messages from Police this holiday weekend are:

• All drivers detected travelling at more than 4km/h over the speed limit during Queen's Birthday weekend can expect to be ticketed - no excuses.

• Road safety is everyone's responsibility and it is time we all took this seriously.

• Police will be out in force over the weekend - if you break the law you can expect to be caught.

• The most effective tool police have in the fight to keep you and your family alive is enforcement of the road rules.

• If you make the decision to break the road rules, you lose your right to complain about the consequences. The consequences of getting a fine, losing your licence or even your car may seem harsh but if it changes your driving habits, consider it worth it - we do.

Please drive to survive this Queens Birthday Weekend.

ENDS

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