Southern police are calling on motorists to take care as they hit the district’s roads for the long weekend.
Labour Weekend’s official road toll period officially starts at 4pm today and ends at 6am on Tuesday.
Last year, five people died and 21 were seriously injured on New Zealand’s roads during the long weekend.
Otago Coastal road policing manager Senior Sergeant Steve Larking said the most common factors contributing to crashes were drivers losing control, travelling too fast for the conditions, drink-driving, and failing to give way, stop or keep left.
He advised motorists to take extra care and plan ahead.
"Police will be out in force," he said.
"Police will be focusing on excessive speed and checking that everyone travelling in a vehicle is wearing their seatbelt or restraint correctly.
"If you are involved in a crash, regardless of the cause, speed is the single factor that most affects the outcome.
"It’s the difference between serious injury and death, being maimed for life or walking away."
Mobile speed cameras would be positioned in high-risk crash areas and a lower speed tolerance of 4kmh over the posted limit would be in place.
"In addition, everyone stopped will be breath-tested and we’ll also be running a number of checkpoints at critical spots around Southland and Otago," he said.
"Nationally, the crash risk for fatal and serious crashes is 14% higher over Labour Day weekend, so we’re asking all drivers to plan ahead to help make their holiday travel safer and to be patient drivers."
Road safety
• Watch your speed.
• Don’t rush on your journey.
• Reduce speed in dangerous conditions.
• Stop friends and whanau driving drunk.
• Make the journey part of your holiday — plan breaks.
• Wear a safety belt.
• Drive considerately.
