A few drivers plain dangerous, but most driving safely and some fatal mistakes

The AA is saddened by the high number of road deaths over the Labour holiday weekend, says AA General Manager Motoring Affairs Mike Noon.

“Eight people have lost their lives in the past three days because of road crashes, many others will be suffering serious injuries and the families and friends of these people all will be hurting and suffering. The AA offers our condolences to all those hurt this past weekend.

“Sadly, eight deaths is nearly twice the average number of fatalities over the previous five years and equal to the toll last Labour Weekend.

“We commend the Police for their visible presence on the roads, but the efforts of Police alone cannot prevent people dying. The Police cannot be everywhere and not everyone crashing is breaking the law. As a country we need to find new ways to improve road safety,” says Mr Noon.

“Unfortunately our roads are unforgiving of error in a lot of places, which means a momentary lapse of attention can be disastrous. If a vehicle crosses the centre line or leaves the road and crashes into a ditch or a pole, the consequences can be severe.

“Many of us also drive older vehicles with fewer safety features.

“We cannot quickly change the fact that we have unforgiving roads and an older vehicle fleet, so we need to focus more on driver skills and good judgement.”

Mr Noon believes most New Zealanders are heeding safety messages and took the task of driving seriously over Labour Weekend. Police have reported generally safer driving and lower speeds, with fewer crashes than over Labour Weekend last year.

“All the drivers who took extra care this weekend should be commended. Equally, if you know you drove carelessly or dangerously, please reflect on your choices and challenge yourself to make better judgement calls in the future.

“A few people are making our roads more dangerous for everyone – speeding, drinking and taking unnecessary risks. But not everyone who was killed or injured this weekend will have been breaking the law.

“We can do more to prevent good people from making mistakes or poor decisions by giving them the knowledge and skills they need to better protect themselves and other road users,” says Mr Noon.

The AA believes there are a lot of reasons why people crash. “We focus a lot on drink driving and speeding, but we also need to help people understand that poor observation, distraction and fatigue can be just as fatal,” says Mr Noon.

ENDS

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