A distinctive red police patrol car is among 28 coloured vehicles being rolled out across the country in a bid to keep our roads safe.
The coloured cars, widely used in Australia, have been specifically chosen because they increase police visibility on the roads.
The first orange car will head to Tasman, a red one to Northland and the next three going to Eastern, Waikato and Canterbury districts before Christmas.
Announcing the new cars, Government yesterday also confirmed that reduced speed tolerance would be extended beyond an official holiday period. A 4km/h speed threshold will be enforced throughout December and January and Northland road policing manager Inspector Murray Hodson said officers would be out on the roads in full force this festive season.
He said research has shown that a speed reduction of 5km/h has lowered serious injuries by 10 per cent and fatal crashes by 20 per cent.
"For me, it's important that we don't have a victim of a road crash caused by speed. The reduced speed tolerance should yield the outcome for us this summer season," he said.
Mr Hodson said high risk roads would be actively patrolled and vehicles stopped would be breath-tested. He has urged motorists to report poor driving by calling the *555 line and calls would be responded to with urgency.
Launching the summer road safety campaign, Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee and Police Minister Anne Tolley said Kiwis should enjoy their holidays and be around to celebrate many more in the years ahead.
Although lower road tolls, they said, in the past couple of years showed drivers were getting the message, one death was just too many. "Police and their partner agencies will be working hard over the holidays to ensure that our roads are as safe as possible, and we want drivers to play their part too," Ms Tolley said. "Police will be out in force - so speeding drivers and drink drivers should beware."
The holiday campaign aligns with the Government's Safer Journeys Road Safety Strategy that looks at all aspects of the road system. "In recent years we have changed give-way rules, lowered alcohol limits for young drivers, launched targeted education for young drivers, strengthened driver licence tests and progressed work on building safer roads."
Last week, the Government introduced the Land Transport Amendment Bill 2013 to lower the adult breath alcohol limit from 400mcg to 250mcg.