The Government’s move to increase speed limits substantially on dozens of stretches of rural and often undivided highways will result in more serious harm.

“The Government’s pro-growth spin cannot obscure the fact that raising speed limits significantly increases the risk of serious harm,” says the Green Party’s Transport spokesperson, Julie Anne Genter.

“The laws of physics aren’t a matter of popular opinion. The faster the speed, the bigger the mess. The evidence is overwhelming: safe speeds save lives.

“And yet this Government is substantially hiking up the speed limit on a swathe of often undivided roads in regions such as Northland which has had historically higher rates of deaths on their roads compared to the rest of the country.

“When safe speed limits were established in Northland it reduced deaths and serious injuries by 50-60 per cent with increases in travel times less than one minute per 10 kilometres.

“People won't notice a minute added to their travel - they will notice when a loved one doesn't return home from work or school.

“Countries with the lowest deaths and serious injuries have 70 or 80 kph speed limits maximum on rural undivided highways. That’s the International Transport Forum’s recommendation - and the difference it makes is quite stark.

“Local councils, health professionals and road safety experts from here and around the world have spoken out opposing this senseless policy, outlining the serious harm it will cause.

“The Government is playing politics with people’s lives here. Failing to follow the evidence and ignoring basic physics will have real-world consequences,” says Julie Anne Genter.

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