Public support for road safety advertising and police enforcement remains high, according to the 2016 Public Attitudes to Road Safety survey.
Release on Tuesday by the Ministry of Transport, more than 80 per cent of respondents consider New Zealand roads 'fairly safe” or ‘very safe” to travel on.
However, when it comes to local roads, the number drops to 70 per cent, with 23 per cent of respondents from the Bay of Plenty calling the region's roads 'fairly unsafe”.
BOP drivers are also keen to see the police putting more effort into catching people breaking safety laws, with 45 per cent agreeing with the notion. 47 per cent want increased penalties for breaking road safety laws.
While 85 per cent disagree with the statement: ‘There is not much chance of an accident driving after drinking if you are careful.'
Support is also high for alcohol breath-testing at checkpoints as a means of keeping the road toll down, with 70 per cent agreeing or strongly agreeing with the practice.
In regards to speed, 72 per cent agree or strongly agree enforcing the speed limit helps lower the road toll. Seven out of 10 drivers want the 100kph speed limit on the open road left as is, with 28 per cent of respondents wanting it raised.
The results of the survey come before the start of the official Labour Weekend road toll period, which runs from 4pm on Friday, October 21, and runs through to 6am on Tuesday, October 25.
For more information or to view the 2016 Public Attitudes to Road Safety survey in full visit the Ministry of Transport's website.
What do you think of our road safety laws? Leave a comment below, or visit SunLive's Facebook page and share your driving experiences.
8 comments
Lost opportunity
Posted on 19-10-2016 09:06 | By mutley
I have read the full survey online. There were no questions about vehicle standards eg crashworthiness, condition, tyres. Given that this is a huge determinant of the outcome of crashes, and the biggest difference between NZ and the rest of the developed world, why did our glorious leaders not enquire into public attitudes on this matter ? Again we see the obsession with speed and drinking. If you keep doing what you have always done, you will keep getting more of the same. Our road toll is rising when the rest of the "developed" world is reducing, along with the age of their cars.
Same old
Posted on 19-10-2016 14:02 | By rastus
I agree with your correspondent 'mutley' that there is way too much concentration on speed and drink. Yes Drunks can and do cause some very nasty accidents but many who have just had a glass are often penalized even though they may well be accident free, conscientious and safe drivers. Like wise it is not speed itself that is the problem it is inappropriate speed for the conditions that causes accidents - add to that the huge number of drivers who have a very poor knowledge of the rules of the road and those that continue to drive heaps that would never pass a genuine WOF and all of a sudden we start to see a very different picture - and I have not even mentioned the problems of tourists who are used to driving on the other side of the road!
road safety attitudes
Posted on 19-10-2016 15:39 | By jaydeegee
It is all a matter of driving with courtesy i.e. showing consideration to other drivers. Tauranga drivers do not like being behind. Overtake for the sake of being in front! They tend not to indicate their intentions. Its' the I'm all right Jack attitude. And as for use of mobile phones whilst driving - well the rules are for everyone else - not me Jack or Jill in most cases! Show some common sense and some manners for Pete's sake Tauranga drivers. Blame the driving instructors!
Rubbish mutley & co
Posted on 19-10-2016 20:56 | By maildrop
Biggest killers are speed and drink - fact. And guess what, there are limits in place for both, just like the rest of the developed world. And the limits for both are lower in many other countries that have a lower toll. Age of cars is irrelevant - it's the people driving them and their attitude that is the problem, just like yours.
Another thing mutley
Posted on 19-10-2016 21:04 | By maildrop
So how come all these people who enjoy driving vintage cars don't seem to be crashing? I see these cars driving around all summer and I don't recall any crashes in years. I'll tell you why, they're not wasted on drinks and drugs and not driving like complete a***holes. Don't blame the cars, that's just dumb.
More convenient statistics.....
Posted on 19-10-2016 22:45 | By groutby
Sadly again we have "statistics" being published by the "Ministry of Transport"..to remind us of our requirements during this upcoming Labour weekend. This is not smart Policing....after many requests, I know it is not possible to get detailed information in regard to individual "incidents" for us, the motoring public, to get an accurate and sadly truthful idea of EXACTLY what is going on. Once again, the article comments on "general' and rather typical questions . Answers are easy to predict. Who did the survey?..who was it aimed at?..what are the obvious, predictable answers to the "loaded questions"?...the last thing we want is the old MOT Officers still around doing the only thing they know how to...with a few real Policemen doing what we really want...no..I'm not suggesting road safety is not an issue, but I absolutely doubt statistics conveniently trundled out by the MOT..
It shouldn't be...
Posted on 20-10-2016 01:37 | By GreertonBoy
Just up to the Police to enforce the laws and add stricter laws and bigger penalties? It should be the drivers choosing to drive safer, to not break/bend the laws, to drive to the conditions and be courteous (or at least a little forgiving) towards other road users. Rather than rely on 'big brother' to enforce stricter laws, we the drivers should simply show some respect for each other and the conditions... because if they ask for more laws and stricter penalties, it wont be only the serial offenders who get caught. Some decent drivers making an unusual mistake can get caught and will be tarred with the same brush... so be careful when they start ask for heavier fines/penalties...
Wrong Wrong Wrong
Posted on 27-10-2016 20:24 | By Capt_Kaveman
Traffic Police should be looking at driver behavior, watching the lack of indicator use and queue jumpers nearly causing accidents
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