Courtesy goes a long way
Maybe manners hold the key to improving the driving experience of Aucklanders.
In an effort to cut down crashes and delays on Auckland’s busy motorway network the New Zealand Transport Agency’s Auckland Motorway Alliance has launched a campaign urging motorists to remember their manners when driving.
The campaign focuses on four key messages for motorway drivers: Merging, changing lanes, and not using a mobile phone or texting while driving.
Auckland state highways manager Tommy Parker says the messages aim to encourage people to remember their ‘‘motorway manners’’ when they drive on the 240 kilometres of Auckland’s network.
‘‘The number of vehicle trips on our network averages around 900,000 every day. We have 2500 crashes annually – five fatal. Good driver behaviour is critical and reminding everyone of small yet crucial things they can do to improve safety is important.’’
The campaign includes billboards located at 20 motorway onramps with messages to raise driver awareness of safer driving.
The messages are merge like a zip, use indicators while changing lanes, drive phone-free and drive now text later.
Mr Parker says that as well as life-threatening crashes poor behaviour on the motorways can cause significant delays.
‘‘If bad driving manners force other vehicles to suddenly brake or change speed abruptly, the risk of nose-to-tail crashes increases and cause not only injuries but disruption and congestion that can delay people and freight.’’