29 November 2013
Socialising and road trips go hand in hand during the Christmas/New Year period and, with the end of the working year looming for most people, there’s an increased need for everyone to drive responsibly. Summer brings driving hazards we should all be aware of.
To highlight this and other road safety messages, Eastern Bay Road Safety representatives will be launching a summer driving campaign on 6 December. The campaign will run throughout the holiday season and feature targeted activities run in liaison with community partners.
Discouraging people from drinking and driving is one of our key aims this summer -because anyone driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs puts all road users at risk of serious or fatal injuries. According to the Communities at Risk register, the Opotiki district is New Zealand’s second most at-risk region when it comes to alcohol-and drug-related crashes. The Kawerau district is fourth and the Whakatane district 19th.
New Zealand Transport Authority statistics show that from 2008-2012 there were 10 fatal and 21 serious alcohol- and drug-related crashes in the Opotiki district, with one fatal and four serious alcohol- and drug-related crash in the Kawerau district during the same period. The Whakatāne district had 49 alcohol- and drug-related crashes, 15 of which were fatal.
To encourage drivers to refrain from drinking, Eastern Bay road safety representatives will work with hospitality providers throughout the area to promote responsible driving messages. We’ll also distribute flyers around the region highlighting the dangers of drink-driving and plan to have a presence at some community events.
These activities will support Police and NZTA campaigns aimed at raising awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence.
Eastern Bay road safety staff will also be highlighting the need to drive to the conditions. This means taking into account factors such as the condition of the road you’re travelling on, the weather, how heavy the traffic is, your speed (the speed limit and a ‘safe speed’ may differ), whether you’re tired or taking medication that could affect your driving, and your vehicle and load. Visit the Eastern Bay road safety page on Facebook for regular updates around this message.
Our summer driving campaign aims to raise awareness around summer driving issues and keep Eastern Bay motorists safe. Everyone in the community is invited to help us make that happen. Please be responsible on our roads this holiday season.