94 overseas drivers involved in crashes

NZ Transport Agency's Waikato/Bay of Plenty regional director Harry Wilson

Ninety-four injury or fatal crashes involving overseas drivers were recorded in Tauranga and Western Bay from 2009 until 2013.

New Zealand Transport Agency figures show the Western Bay is ranked 13 in New Zealand for the number of crashes involving overseas drivers and Tauranga is ranked 19.

The figures were for the 20 places in the country with the most crashes involving overseas drivers.

Western Bay had 51 crashes involving overseas drivers in the five-year period which made up 8 per cent of total crashes. Tauranga had 43 crashes involving overseas drivers, 4 per cent of total crashes.

Auckland had 698 crashes followed by Christchurch with 186 crashes.

NZ Transport Agency's Waikato/Bay of Plenty regional director Harry Wilson said the agency was working hard to reduce all crashes.

"We are aiming to bring the road toll down by making every part of our transport system safer - vehicles, roads and roadsides, speeds and road users." Mr Wilson said in 2013, nationwide 2.9 per cent of drivers involved in fatal crashes and 3.9 per cent of drivers involved in injury crashes were on overseas licences.

However, due to high visitor numbers, combined with challenging roads and road conditions, some areas such as Western Bay of Plenty had higher incidents of overseas drivers involved in crashes.

Safety projects were under way in the region, including erecting extra safety rails at points along State Highway 2, and creating turning bays at State Highway 2 near Pukehina, State Highway 29 near Ruahihi Rd and the Pahoia Rd/Esdaile Rd intersection.

Western Bay road policing Senior Sergeant Ian Campion said there had been a number of serious and fatal crashes involving visitors to New Zealand recently, but he was not aware of any changes that were going to be made.

"If all drivers drove to the conditions, drove defensively and treated every other road user as a risk, then we would all be better off."

Mr Campion said the strategic highways into the Western Bay were tourist routes from the north.

He said this time of year was a busy one for police and officers would be out in force over the holiday period trying to encourage people to drive sensibly.

"People need to take on board the usual advice - leaving yourself lots of time to travel, take planned breaks, make sure your vehicle is in a safe condition, make sure passengers are restrained correctly and removing as many distractions as you possibly can."