Rise in southern road toll continues deadly trend

The horror start to the year on southern roads has continued  with 21 deaths  recorded in Otago and Southland during  the first six months.

The six-month road toll is the worst since 1996 when 22 deaths occurred in the South.

Police continue to stress many of the deaths could have been prevented if simple measures - such as wearing seatbelts, ignoring distractions and maintaining a safe speed - were followed.

It has continued the trend of rising road tolls in the district in recent years with last year’s provisional road toll  the worst since 2001.

Five more people died on southern roads in the first six months of this year than in the corresponding period last year.

The NZ Transport Agency said one of the contributing factors was the greater number of cars on the roads in recent years with more kilometres being travelled due to lower fuel prices.

Acting Southern road policing manager acting Inspector Glenn Wilkinson said issues such as people crossing the centre-line, driving too fast or drink-driving continued to plague the district.

"So many of the deaths on our roads could be prevented if drivers had made the right decisions before getting behind the wheel. Crossing the centre-line because you are tired, distracted, or just plain going too fast is putting everyone on the road in danger.

"Some sensible choices earlier on would have a significant impact in reducing our road toll."

NZTA director for safety and environment Harry Wilson said factors contributing  to the rising road toll, which was mirrored nationally, were complex.

"The rate is reducing in comparison to kilometres travelled on the road. But the toll is going the wrong way," he said.

Risky behaviours, such as drinking and driving, using cellphones and excessive speeding, continued to cause issues for road users and many  were also neglecting to wear safety belts.

"Of the 328 [who died on New Zealand’s roads last year], 100 of those people just weren’t wearing restraints," Mr Wilson said.

He said the number of tourists involved in death and serious injury crashes had remained relatively static.

"It’s actually decreased over the last few years."

Of those foreign licence holders in crashes, Australians and Germans were the most common, followed by Asians and those from the UK.

"The popular perception that it’s Asian drivers isn’t correct," he said.

Mr Wilson said many roads, including several in the Southern district, were being widened, having rumble strips installed and speeds assessed in an effort to make them safer. It was hoped those projects would be completed within the next 18 months.

timothy.brown@odt.co.nz