MAKE THE RIGHT CALL

You decide who dies on our roads in northland – update 2022

What can YOU DO to make our roads safer and save lives? We are seeing daily an increase of headlines and tragic stories in the media about fatal and serious injury crashes on both Northland roads and across the national roading network. There is still two and a half high risk months to go.

Nationally most fatal crashes happen on local roads but in Northland over double the number of fatal crashes occur on our regions State Highway networks compared to our local roads.

Are our drivers/riders learning? No not really, as the same mistakes are continuing each year while innocent victims and families suffer. This suffering for those families is not just when the tragedy happens but lifelong.

Fatal & serious injury crashes have been steady during the last 5 & ¾ years as shown below, even when considering fewer cars travelling on our roads during two years of Covid restriction times and little or no visiting overseas drivers.

Too many of our crashes still involve preventable issues relating to those crashes - there are common themes - impairment (alcohol/drugs), failing to keep left, too fast for conditions. It is still concerning the number of people distracted & those not wearing seatbelts, which again has a huge in luence on survivability as a result of the consequences of crashing.

Over a long period of time these numbers have been reducing but sadly in recent years the trends are rising again.

Leading Factors contributing to fatal and injury road crashes

Each year, the 4 leading factors contributing to fatal crashes tend to be lost control, failed to keep left, alcohol or drugs, and too fast for conditions.

The 5 leading factors contributing to injury crashes tend to be lost control, inattention or attention diverted, failed to give way or stop, did not see other party, and too fast for conditions.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency Crash Analysis System.

The New Zealand Road to Zero Strategy seeks to reduce deaths and serious injuries by 40% by 2030. This will not happen without everyone’s support, a greater level of support & investment for - Safe Roads & Roadsides, Safe Speeds, Safe Vehicles, Safe Road Use.

In total 2017-2022 that is

2032 deaths and 14231 serious injuries costing NZ $23,336.98(m) in social costs.

Road Safety Is Everyones Responsibility http://northlandroadsafety.co.nz