Nine people have died in eight separate fatal crashes across New Zealand so far this holiday season, prompting police to call for immediate action to prevent further tragedy on the roads.
Superintendent Steve Greally, Director of Road Policing, said the number of fatalities was “incredibly frustrating” and called for drivers to take responsibility for their actions.
“There’s no excuse for any driver to be endangering their lives and those of others with unsafe behaviours,” Greally said.
“There are many families that have been affected by bad decision making from behind the wheel so far this holiday.”
Police said risky behaviour, such as distracted driving, speeding, and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, continues to cause crashes.
“Drivers need to be clear that if they are driving distracted, or speeding, or driving impaired by alcohol or drugs, they may cause a crash and possibly cut someone’s life short,” Greally said.
Last year, 21 people died in road crashes over the Christmas period.
As of 29 December this year, nine lives have already been lost.
“Police and our road safety partners are very disappointed in this figure,” Greally said.
Police said they would maintain a strong presence on high-risk roads, including state highways and rural areas, throughout the holiday period.
“If you are caught putting other people’s lives at risk, you can expect to be dealt with and don’t expect a warning,” Greally said.
“Road deaths and serious injuries are preventable. We all need to do better and stop accepting people dying on our roads is what happens when driving.”
Greally said enforcement measures had been shown to deter dangerous driving but stressed that road safety was a shared responsibility.
“We should all play our part to be safe on our roads because so far, too many families have received tragic news this holiday period,” he said.
Motorists have been warned to expect to see police “anytime and anywhere” during the holiday season. Police said they would continue record levels of breath testing and issue infringements as part of their prevention and enforcement role.
“We can all work together to avoid unnecessary road trauma,” Greally said.
