Picture the scene: You're driving along Cameron Road when suddenly another vehicle changes lanes without even realising you are there.

You stomp down hard on the brake to narrowly avoid a collision, while at the same bashing your car horn and screaming out the window something akin to: 'open your eyes you bloody idiot!”

The scene of a fatal accident in Paengaroa in March of this year. Photo: Bruce Barnard

It is likely most, if not all, local motorists have encountered a situation similar to the one described above over the course of their time behind the wheel of a car.

And it won't be a surprise to learn that ‘poor observation' caused 38 per cent of fatal and serious injury crashes in Tauranga City and the Western Bay of Plenty, from January 2009 to December 2014.

The New Zealand Transport Agency recently released figures taken from its Crash Analysis System, which collates data sourced from all traffic crashes reported by police.

The NZTA released a list of 15 factors contributing to crashes, of which ‘poor observation' sits at the top followed by ‘poor handling' in second with 32 per cent, and ‘alcohol' third with 23 per cent.

Western Bay of Plenty Road Policing senior sergeant Ian Campion says for police, the two biggest areas of concern in relation to crashes within the district are distractions and intersections.

'Distraction does cover a whole raft of contributing factors,” says Ian, 'as does poor handling. But poor handling is really related to driving too fast for the conditions and inexperienced drivers as well.

'As for alcohol, there has been a 17 per cent increase in terms of alcohol offending from July 1 last year to June 30, 2015. That's very disappointing given we've had decreases over the last four years.

'The Western Bay of Plenty is also over represented when it comes to intersection crashes on both urban and rural roads.”

Delving deeper into the zoning data, 57 per cent of those crashes occurred on local roads, with the remaining 43 per cent of crashes happening on state highways.

In terms of distractions while driving, Ian says it can really be anything and everything that takes our focus off of driving.

There's the obvious distractions like talking on your mobile phone, applying makeup, reaching for objects or adjusting GPS units.

But there's also eating and drinking while driving, talking to passengers, roadside distractions, or animals that are loose in a vehicle.

'These, of course, are also exacerbated by fatigue, your emotions, or if you are day dreaming while driving,” he adds.

'It's really important drivers make sure they pull everything together and focus on not only their driving, but how others are driving too.”

The NZTA data also shows a 50/50 split for fatal and serious injury crashes occurring in both ‘rural speed zones' and ‘urban speed zones', with both sitting on 50 per cent.

‘Urban speed zones' are roads where the posted speed limits are less than 80km/h, while ‘rural speed zones' are roads where the posted speed limit is greater than or equal to 80km/h.

Ian says doing a defensive driving course certainly gives all motorists good driving and survival tips on the roadway.

Additional training is also beneficial, but the important message Ian wants to convey is that many motorists tend to 'drive subconsciously a lot these days”.

'It's important we get back to focussing on what we're doing when we're behind the wheel and focussing on the task at hand – that being driving,” he says.

CRASH FACTORS FOR WESTERN BAY OF PLENTY AND TAURANGA CITY:

1. Poor observation – 38%
2. Poor handling – 32%
3. Alcohol – 23%
4. Too fast – 19%
5. Failed to give way/stop – 19%
6. Poor judgement –13%
7. Road factors –13%
8. Other – 13%
9. Incorrect lane/position –10%
10. Pedestrian factors –9%
11. Fatigue – 7%
12. Failed to keep left – 5%
13. Overtaking – 4%
14. Vehicle factors – 3%
15. Weather – 2%