Tears and pledges as road toll mounts
Some driver behaviour ‘evil’ say police, writes Craig Hoyle.
The daughter of a man killed in a Northland crash says she’s devastated to have lost ‘‘the best father a girl could have ever wished for’’.
Kevin Cocker and his wife Fiona died after a multi-vehicle crash at a known danger spot on State Highway 1 south of Whangarei on Wednesday.
A deadly 12-hour period this weekend in which five people were killed on the roads, and another three in train collisions, prompted Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter to last night say the new coalition Government would prioritise safety over ‘‘traffic flows’’.
‘‘The last Government actually said that traffic flow was more important than safety,’’ she said.
‘‘I think most New Zealanders would say their priority is the safety of them and their loved ones.’’
Kevin’s daughter Ashley confirmed on social media ‘‘with a heavy heart and a tear-filled face’’ that her father and stepmother had been killed.
‘‘Dad, I don’t even know where to begin,’’ she said. ‘‘I am lost for words and in total disbelief.’’
‘‘You have been the best father a girl could have ever wished for. I will cherish all of our memories together, continue living your legacy, and doing you proud. I love you more than you’ll ever know. Until we meet again Dad.’’
Kevin and Fiona Cocker are among 323 killed in crashes so far this year, including five on Friday. The number is five short of the total road toll for 2016.
Genter yesterday told the Sunday Star-Times the new government would take action.
‘‘Hundreds of people should not be dying on New Zealand roads in a year,’’ she said.
She wanted to improve safety ‘‘across the entire transport system’’ and would be asking officials to report back with an action plan and options for policy.
‘‘We’ve had nine years of underinvestment in safety, so it could take some time, but I’m going to make this a major priority.’’
Genter pointed to curve-straightening and median barriers as examples of cost-effective measures that could help make a difference.
Yesterday, police pleaded with motorists to take more care.
Road policing national manager Superintendent Steve Greally said the irresponsible actions of some drivers were ‘‘actually quite evil in nature’’.
The police press conference followed a 12-hour period on Friday that saw five people killed.
One female died in a three-car crash on State Highway 1 at Towai, Northland, and there were two fatal crashes in the South Island. A further two people died when their car hit a tree in Kumeu, in west Auckland, just before midnight.
In addition to the road deaths, three people were killed in two separate collisions with trains on Friday night.
A female pedestrian was hit by a train in Hornby, near Christchurch, and died at the scene. Later in the evening, two other people were killed in a collision with a train in Papakura.
Police have not included the train deaths as part of the road toll.