Police and NZTA urge Kiwis to keep safe this Easter

The holiday period runs from 4pm April 13 to 6am April 18. Photo / Greg Bowker

Kiwis are urged to keep safe this Easter weekend with heavy traffic warnings in place.

The holiday period runs from 4pm April 13 to 6am April 18.

New Zealand Transport Agency said travellers should expect a busy weekend on the roads as Easter coincides with the start of school holidays.

Transport Agency Auckland and Northland highway manager Brett Gliddon said he knew NZTA would see large numbers heading out of the main centres to their usual holiday destinations, which made queues and delays inevitable.

Heading out of Auckland, the traffic will start to build on SH1 in both directions from mid-morning on Thursday right through to about 8pm.

Gliddon said it was likely to remain heavy for much of the day on Friday, especially between Puhoi and Wellsford, on the Southern Motorway from Takanini, and on State Highway 2 to Coromandel.

"The hot spot predictions, which are based on previous holiday data have proved really popular in helping people make informed decisions about when to travel, but these should also be used alongside real time travel information."

The highway manager said teams would be monitoring traffic flows on the state highway network throughout the holiday period to provide up to date information on congested routes.

Police are also urging New Zealanders to take care, at home and away.

Manager of road policing operations Inspector Pete Mckennie said the four-day weekend was a great opportunity to take a well-deserved break.

"But no matter what you are doing, the simple message is that we want everyone to have fun and keep safe."

Mckennie said for those with children, it was a reminder to model the "right behaviour we'd want them to follow too".

He said he was aware in past Easter holidays many New Zealanders had not made it home to their families, or had been injured or been victims of crime.

"If you're travelling on the country's roads, this means driving to the conditions, particularly if the weather is going to be wet and the visibility bad, as well as making sure to 'buckle up buttercup', not drink and drive, and to please check your speed."

The highest crash risk period between is 4pm-8pm on Thursday when most people are leaving for holiday destinations.

"Police will be maintaining a highly visible presence on the roads, and keeping an eye out for high risk driver behaviour that puts all of us at risk.

A reduced 4km/h speed threshold will also apply to speed cameras as it has done for other holiday weekends.

Mckennie suggested delaying travel to avoid peak higher risk periods.

"We also want people to have a good time if they're out having a few drinks, but to be safe too."

Mckennie said it meant keeping an eye on each other and not going overboard on the alcohol to the point that you may become a risk to yourself or others.

He advised those tramping or engaging in any outdoor activities to be appropriately prepared.

"Mountain Safety Council data shows more people are injured in the outdoors and involved in a search and rescue incident on average during Easter than compared with any other public holiday."

Planning ahead and telling someone where you are going and when you are intending to be back was key.

McKennie added taking steps to ensure property and valuables are secure before heading away could also save a lot of grief.

"It sounds obvious, but making sure all windows and doors are locked and anything valuable is safely out of sight are simple steps we can all take... Asking friends or neighbours to keep an eye on your property can also help reduce the risk of being the victim of a burglary or break-in."

NZTA's maps to show the expected peak holiday traffic times to help people decide the best time to travel can be found at www.nzta.govt.nz/hotspots.