Carnage will continue unless road users step up: Police
Police are begging drivers to slow down and make good decisions after a “heartbreaking” weekend in which 11 people died on the roads.
A person died in a single-vehicle crash on Saulbrey Rd, Ngāruawāhia, in the Waikato on Monday.
Police were notified just before 8pm that a vehicle had collided with a power pole, bringing the line down.
“Sadly, one person died at the scene,” police said. “The other three occupants were transported to hospital with serious, moderate and minor injuries.”
The Serious Crash Unit attended and the investigation is continuing.
Assistant police commissioner Bruce O’Brien said it was “totally unacceptable “that so many people had died over a few days.
“On top of that, there will be people who survived crashes who will be left with life-changing injuries. Some people have months of recovery, some people sadly never recover.”
Police had an important role keeping people safe, and did not apologise for their focus on speeding and distracted drivers.
Police had a target to reduce road deaths by 40 per cent by 2030 and drivers and riders had to take some responsibility.
“It’s not hard and I’m struggling to understand how we are still having this conversation. We are simply asking that people treat driving, or motorbike riding, with the care and respect it deserves.”
That meant slowing down, paying attention, not driving after drinking and always wearing a seatbelt or helmet. People should also take keys off family or friends who were drunk, and talk to people who liked to speed.
Waka Kotahi (NZ Transport Agency) director of land transport Kane Patena said for every person killed, seven were seriously injured — many permanently damaged.
Before Monday night’s crash, 10 people had died on the roads since Friday.
On Sunday a motorcyclist died in Raetihi and a driver died in Herekino. Late on Saturday a person died in a single-vehicle crash near Raglan.
On Saturday two motorbike riders were killed — one in Whāngārei and one near Whakatāne — and a person died in a crash in Levin.
And on Friday evening four teenagers died in Invercargill when their ute struck a truck.