Motorists’ weekend warning

Easter and school holidays means heavy traffic likely

Kiwis are urged to keep safe this weekend with heavy traffic warnings in place. The holiday period runs from 4pm on Thursday April 13 to 6am on Tuesday April 18.

The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) said travellers should expect a busy weekend on the roads because Easter coincides with the start of school holidays.

NZTA Auckland and Northland highway manager Brett Gliddon said he expected large numbers heading out of the main centres to their usual holiday destinations, which made queues and delays inevitable.

The traffic out of Auckland would start to build on State Highway 1 in both directions from mid-morning tomorrow through to about 8pm.

Gliddon said it was likely to remain heavy for much of the day on Friday.

Teams would monitor traffic flows on the state highway network throughout the holiday period to provide up to date information on congested routes.

Police are also urging Kiwis to take care, at home and away.

Road policing operations manager Inspector Pete Mckennie reminded those with children to model the “right behaviour we’d want them to follow too”.

“This means driving to the conditions, particularly if the weather is going to be wet and the visibility bad, as well as making sure to ‘buckle up buttercup’, not drink and drive, and to please check your speed.”

The highest crash risk period between is 4pm-8pm on Thursday.

“Police will be maintaining a highly visible presence on the roads, and keeping an eye out for high risk driver behaviour that puts all of us at risk.

A reduced 4km/h speed threshold will apply to speed cameras as it has done for other holiday weekends.

Mckennie suggested delaying travel to avoid peak risk periods.

He also advised those tramping or engaging in any outdoor activities to be appropriately prepared.

“Mountain Safety Council data shows more people are injured in the outdoors and involved in a search and rescue incident on average during Easter than compared with any other public holiday.”

Planning ahead and telling someone where you are going and when you are intending to be back was key.

McKennie added taking steps to ensure property and valuables are secure before heading away could also save a lot of grief.

NZTA’s maps to show the expected peak holiday traffic times to help people decide the best time to travel can be found at nzta.govt.nz/hotspots.