Rest stops offering coffee and tea, and in some cases a barbecue, will be seen by motorists around the Southern district in an initiative by police, Southern district road policing manager Inspector Tania Baron says.
Police will also be clamping down on speeding drivers and a lowered speed tolerance will be in effect until 6am on Tuesday.
Insp Baron said police would be out in force to ensure safe and sober drivers were on the roads around the district.
''The message from us is reduce your speed, take your time and take advantage of the comfort stops that will be cropping up over the district,'' she said.
The comfort stops would be situated in safe laybys on high-volume roads and would be particularly noticeable on Monday as motorists returned home following the long weekend.
A high police presence would be noticeable throughout the weekend and police would be targeting speeding, drinking and dangerous drivers, she said.
The New Zealand Transport Agency also issued advice to motorists taking to the roads over the long weekend.
People should check their vehicle's safety, allow plenty of time for their journey, take rest stops and, if possible, share the driving, and be patient with other motorists, the agency said.
The agency advised that State Highway 1 to Dunedin might be busy with the Neil Diamond concert tonight and increased traffic was also expected in Frankton with the opening of the new supermarket.
• Police attended two crashes involving multiple vehicles on Friday.
A three-vehicle crash at Raes Junction about 4.15pm resulted in one person with minor injuries being taken to Gore Hospital by ambulance, Senior Sergeant Craig Brown said.
In the other crash, four vehicles collided near Milton about 4pm. No-one was injured, he said.
