2020 road toll ‘sad and disappointing’

‘‘Road deaths for the other 11 months of the year have been slightly more than 2019 . . .’’

Mike Noon

Automobile Association

International tourists are often blamed for New Zealand’s woeful road deaths, but the road toll for

2020 tells a different story. Despite the absence of international visitors for most of the year, the road toll as of December

31 was 320 deaths, a total the Automobile Association labelled ‘‘sad and disappointing’’.

It’s down from 350 deaths on our roads in 2019, However, the death toll is largely identical to last year once you factor in the month of April, which saw a massive decline in crashes due to the national Covid-19 lockdown.

Just nine people died on New Zealand roads in April, lower than any other month in the past 55 years. ‘‘Road deaths for the other

11 months of the year have been slightly more than 2019, which is a very sad and disappointing result,’’ AA motoring affairs general manager Mike Noon said.

‘‘When Covid-19 first appeared and locked down the country, there was some speculation it may result in less deaths on the roads due to less driving taking place but this hasn’t ended up the case.’’

It was possible New Zealanders had been driving more than normal due to an increase in domestic tourism, though AA did not have official data to back this up.

Overseas drivers were at fault in just 5 per cent of fatal crashes in 2019, meaning the vast majority of dangerous driving offences are committed by Kiwis.

AA said it would be pushing the Government to make a number of policy changes in 2021, including upgrading high-risk roads, changes to safety standard requirements, and increasing alcohol and drug testing.

‘‘No-one is a perfect driver and if people are honest, we could all find at least one thing to do better in 2021. For some drivers, that might be making sure they keep a bigger following distance. For others, it might be slowing their speed to the conditions, or not using your phone behind the wheel or not carrying on driving when they are feeling tired,’’ Noon said.

The road toll for the ChristmasNew Year period currently sits at nine, already equal to the number who died during the whole period in the 2018/19 Christmas-New Year holiday period.