Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Police still failing to protect vulnerable road users
Police still failing to protect vulnerable road
users
The Police are ignoring valuable
data that could be used to help protect road users,
especially the most vulnerable ones, the Green Party said
today.
Information received under the Official
Information Act from the Police show that, despite recent
changes to the Community Roadwatch website, the Police are
choosing not to analyse the data collected to better enforce
the law and protect all road users, especially people
walking and cycling.
“The Police are ignoring
valuable data collected from their Community Roadwatch
website to manage road safety in a smart way,” said Green
Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne
Genter.
“Is this another example of the Police
failing in their duty of care to vulnerable road
users?
“The Community Roadwatch website collects
valuable information on dangerous driving which can be used
by the Police to better prioritise the policing of our
roads.
“This data is currently unusable. The
Police can’t manage what they don’t
measure.”
Green MP Kevin Hague had earlier
suspected that cyclists’ Police complaints were getting
lost in the system. His enquiries secured a new feature on
the Community Roadwatch website recording the mode of
transport of the complainant.
“One year on, I
wanted to better understand the reporting trends that were
emerging now that the Police were capturing vulnerable road
user data,” said Ms Genter.
“The Police
couldn’t help me. What is the point of reporting bad
driving to the Police if they do next to nothing with the
information?
“I have a strong belief cycling
accidents are being underreported and the Police are not
helping matters with their lax data
handling.
“People who ride bikes deserve the same
protection from the Police as other road users, but it seems
they are being badly let down.”
Link to
Official Information response from the Police:
https://www.greens.org.nz/sites/default/files/police_oia_response_online_community_roadwatch_reporting_system.pdf
Link to the Police’s Community Roadwatch
website:
https://forms.police.govt.nz/forms/online-community-roadwatch-report/9
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