New campaign to cut carnage
Mistakes on the road are inevitable, but death and serious injuries aren't.
That's the message behind a new campaign aimed at building public awareness and demand for the changes needed to drive road deaths and serious injuries down towards zero.
“New Zealand's Road to Zero strategy is based on the belief that no-one deserves to die or be seriously injured on our roads, even when they make mistakes,” said Waka Kotahi Chief Executive Nicole Rosie.
“The strategy adopts a longterm vision of no deaths or serious injuries on our roads by 2050, and government has set a specific interim target for 2030 as part of the strategy — to reduce deaths and serious injuries by 40 per cent compared to 2018 levels.
“Reaching that target is possible with the right measures to make every part of the transport system safer.
“Under Road to Zero we're making roads and roadsides safer, using evidence-based tools to identify the best solutions in high-risk areas. That includes new roundabouts, median barriers, side barriers, widened centrelines and rumble strips.
“We're working hard to get more New Zealanders into vehicles with high safety ratings, because these vehicles can help drivers avoid crashes and protect people when crashes do happen.
“Safer speeds also have a huge role to play. When speeds are safe for the road, simple mistakes are less likely to end in tragedy, which is why Waka
Kotahi and local authorities are identifying roads across the country where safer speed limits can make a significant and immediate difference.
“And as individuals we all have a responsibility to follow the road rules, wear our seatbelts and avoid driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol, or when distracted by our mobile phones,” Rosie said.
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said police is fully committed to supporting Road to Zero.
“The public can be confident we are ready with targeted and effective enforcement to play our part in delivering road safety targets for 2030 and beyond. This means doing all we can to prevent the pain, suffering and grief our officers see every day caused by preventable crashes.”