Police have vowed to learn from public feedback regarding the latest summer road safety campaign, with New Zealand's top police officer saying their message should have been clearer.
Police Commissioner Mike Bush is responding to the widely criticised enforcement campaign aimed at cracking down on speeding drivers.
New Zealand Police say they have taken public feedback into consideration from their latest summer speed campaign.
'Retaining public trust and confidence in the NZ Police is critical and underpins the principle of policing,” he says.
'Future road policing campaigns will have clear messaging and public support for our important work to ensure the safety of New Zealanders on our roads.
'I acknowledge there was some confusion resulting from the police speed messaging during the Safer Summer road policing campaign and this became an issue that many New Zealanders were passionate about.”
Mike says the purpose of the campaign was to save lives on the roads.
'However, some members of the public have told us that our messaging was not clear enough around what speed levels would be enforced,” he adds.
'I acknowledge we should have been clearer.
'We should have been explicit that speed cameras were set for usual holiday tolerance of more than four km over the limit and that roadside officers would continue to use their discretion in stopping people driving over the speed limit, but would focus on unsafe driving behaviours.
'Our staff have been using their discretion appropriately over the summer campaign. Only 14 tickets have been issued for speeds of between one and four km over a speed limit (processed as of 13 January).”
By way of comparison, 13 tickets were issued in this band during the December 2013 - January 2014 campaign.
'Local and international experience demonstrates that when we all slow down, deaths and serious injuries decrease, and the roads are safer and calmer for all,” says Mike.
'There will now be a review of the messaging in the Safer Summer campaign, and the lessons learnt will be incorporated into future campaigns.”
14 comments
What a fuss!
Posted on 15-01-2015 08:34 | By Politically Incorrect
So much fuss over a very simple thing. Are people so stupid as to be confused by what the Police are enforcing - it's called the SPEED LIMIT. It's on those big signs on the roads - you know, the red circles with the big numbers in them? That's what they were enforcing. Got a ticket? Then that's your own stupid fault. The usual 5% or 10% is to account for speedometer inaccuracy, not a free for all to go 110kmh - if your speedo is out by 10% here, you could actually be going 121km/h. Yes, maybe going 1km/h over and getting booked seems harsh, but you know what? 1km/h is still over the legally posted limit, and the Police can book you for it. Get off the cops back, stop driving like muppets and stay alive out there!
Speeding and deaths
Posted on 15-01-2015 09:01 | By hapukafin
It would be interesting to know how many road deaths over the xmas holidays were caused by speeding and how many was through drivers faults.Can the police answer this.
Speed Limit
Posted on 15-01-2015 09:12 | By philiphallen
What I would like to know is…… what is confusing about the message not to speed and break the speed limit? The limit as indicated for a stretch of road by the obvious large sign on top of a tall post with a number on it, this is the maximum speed limit, not 1 km/h or 4 km/h or even 10 km/h over that limit. In other words 60 means 60 and 100 means 100. If you are confused by this obvious logic then please return you driver's license to the relevant authorities, or alternatively learn to drive properly and retake your test.
Focus
Posted on 15-01-2015 10:09 | By YOGI BEAR
On preventative rather than meeting ticket quota's for speeding. That would then place the officer mind in the correct place rather than just revenue generation.
hapukafin
Posted on 15-01-2015 10:10 | By YOGI BEAR
The indications from NZ Police were that most were drive error and were preventable.
Wrong message
Posted on 15-01-2015 11:08 | By mutley
Not only was the message not clear, it was the wrong message. Micro-measuring of speed will not prevent crashes. Driving better will prevent crashes. Drivers are now so concerned with watching the speedos and looking out for Police they are not focusing on the real safety hazards that cause crashes. Which part of this do the Police not understand ?
marty
Posted on 15-01-2015 11:37 | By mlangdon
For goodness sake,a speed limit is a speed limit, why on earth confuse that by having a 'tolerance' if the limit is 100 kph then that should be it, no ifs or buts. If you cant keep to the limit then you deserve to get fined. If everyone drove to the limit and didn't try to cheat it then the roads would be safer place for all of us.
speed limit
Posted on 15-01-2015 11:55 | By phoenix
so true politically correct. one more important rule,taught when we were young,KEEP LEFT.
avr
Posted on 15-01-2015 12:45 | By Anton
How many lives are saved by going 1 km/h over the speed limit in stead of 5.Use your mirror instead or gazing at your speedo.Know where are indicators for and use them at least 3 sec.not max.and use them before you move 1 inch.
Posted on 15-01-2015 15:45 | By JayR
If you go more than 1kmh under the speed limit, you have hot headed drivers behind you get angry, but if you go 4kmh over the speed limit, you're risking getting a speeding ticket. You can't win.
seesee
Posted on 15-01-2015 17:02 | By SeeSee
The law of the open road is 100Km's, is it not. So, why all the grizzling about be caught and getting a speeding ticket. I have absolutely no sympathy for the ones who do
uniform branch of the IRD
Posted on 15-01-2015 20:39 | By Captain Sensible
The police have become the uniform branch of the IRD, and for that reason, they lose respect from many.
My opinion is
Posted on 01-02-2015 00:46 | By GreertonBoy
that people driving well under the speed limit is as bad as driving over it.... there is nothing worse than being in a 100 zone and Mr Safety is dawdling along at 75kmh, thinking they are being safe..... maybe the cops could look at issuing tickets for people driving more than 10km under the limit as well (for no reason) different if weather or road conditions are the cause, but if it is just some attempt at being 'safer' driving excessively slow, it could be either the vehicle or the driver is not suitable to be driving?
Driving
Posted on 08-02-2015 08:10 | By Kenworthlogger
JayR why are you worrying about whats happening behind you? I drive a logger and constantly have angry people behind me cause we are not allowed to do over 90. Whilst we move over as much as we can to be courtious the law makes trucks a mobile traffic block. Why cant it be like Australia where the trucks can do the same open road speed as cars and therefore keep the traffic flowing and less bad overtaking manouvers to be made by motorists. What are peoples thoughts on this one?
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