Editorial: Roads and motorists need work

Linda Hall.

It's fantastic to see that Hawke's Bay has been included in the New Zealand Transport Agency's 2016-2017 safety initiatives programme.

A total of $8.9 million is to be spent on the 42km stretch of SH2 between Pakipaki and Waipukurau.

The work will take six years to complete and also includes stretches on SH2 between Bay View and Wairoa.

Both are high accident areas.

However, no matter how much money they throw at the roads, no matter how wide they are made, no matter how far a driver can see ahead, to the left and right, there are still going to be crashes.

I bet there are not many drivers who haven't had a "near miss' either through their own fault or no fault of their own.

Our roads are getting busier and busier and drivers seem to be getting more distracted with phones, radios, children in the back seat or just rubbernecking.

I actually don't think the road from PakiPaki to Waipukurau is too bad. I can remember when it was a lot worse. I also remember having to go over the Pukeora Hill to get to Dannevirke .

It must be 30-plus years since they put the new road in to bypass the hill.

Now Pukeora Estate sits atop the hill, a winery with beautiful views, function centre, art galley - you can even stay there.

Improvements to our roads are a bonus and I will be watching with interest to see how the money is spent.

However, better roads alone are not going to save lives.

That's down to the people behind the wheels.