George Masters believes snow tyres should be banned in New Zealand. A coroner determined that they may have been a contributing factor to a fatal crash on SH5 in 2020. Photo / Paul Taylor
George Masters believes snow tyres should be banned in New Zealand. A coroner determined that they may have been a contributing factor to a fatal crash on SH5 in 2020. Photo / Paul Taylor
A Hastings car dealer who put winter tyres on a vehicle that a young woman later fatally crashed is calling for a New Zealand-wide ban on the still-legal tyre variety.
George Masters has the backing of the Police Serious Crash Unit that investigated the death of Hastings woman Aniwaniwa Kenrick,21, in a two-vehicle crash on the Napier-Taupō Rd in March 2020.
Winter tyres, sometimes known as snow tyres, are made with a softer rubber compound and deeper treads and are designed to maintain grip in wintery conditions including ice, snow and temperatures below 7C.
Advice from both Waka Kotahi and the Automobile Association is that winter tyres are not suited to New Zealand conditions, as they provide less grip than summer tyres in non-wintry conditions and wear faster.
They are rarely stocked or sold by New Zealand tyre dealers but often arrive in the country on imported Japanese vehicles.
Kenrick was travelling around a slight downhill bend on a wet State Highway 5 between Kawaro Roadway and Turangakumu Rd in Te Haroto when she crossed the centre line into the path of a vehicle with two occupants about 9.20pm.
She died at the scene and the two occupants of the oncoming car were injured, one seriously, one moderately.
The coroner’s report said it was not clear if Kenrick was aware the car she had bought was fitted with winter tyres, but they were legally compliant - with the vehicle itself warranted, registered and running well at the time of purchase.
The SCU report determined that the “main causative factor” in the crash was Kenrick travelling too fast for the conditions.
She lost control on a gentle bend due to being an inexperienced driver, unsupervised, and in breach of her learner’s licence, the report said.
But research from police, cited by the coroner, found that winter tyres underperformed with cornering and emergency braking during testing on wet and dry road conditions.
“I consider it is reasonable to observe that the use of the winter tyres on a state highway in March might have contributed to this and/or hindered Ms Kenrick regaining control of the vehicle,” Coroner McKenzie said.
Testing was also positive for cannabis in Kenrick’s blood. The coroner said she could not make any definitive findings as to the extent to which this might have impaired her driving.
She recommended Waka Kotahi and the Automobile Association continue to publicise the dangers of the incorrect use of winter tyres.
She said she disagreed with a police Serious Crash Unit recommendation that winter tyres should be made illegal in New Zealand, saying that some drivers would likely require them for safety reasons.
Some snow or winter tyres can be distinguished by a mountain snowflake symbol on the sidewall. The Automobile Association says they can also be distinguished by their deep square-patterned tread blocks with numerous fine blades. Photo / Paul Taylor
Hastings car dealer George Masters told Hawke’s Bay Today he had acquired the Ford Falcon in a trade before he onsold it to his friend who eventually sold it to Kenrick.
He said the reason he fitted the car with winter tyres was that another Falcon at his yard, in a better condition, had its tyres stolen and so took the factory tyres off the Falcon Kenrick would eventually purchase.
Her Falcon wasn’t suitable for sale at his yard, so he fitted some winter tyres he had onto it before onselling.
Masters said he now supports the idea of a total ban on winter tyres, and wanted the coroner to go further in her recommendations.
“They definitely shouldn’t be allowed here, I don’t think I agree that they serve a purpose in New Zealand.”
“Most people who go up to, a ski field for example, where there is snow would have chains on their vehicle or take an all-wheel drive which would be sufficient.”
He said he had not sold a vehicle with winter tyres on it for over 12 months and he would warn people if a vehicle he was selling did have winter tyres on it.
Most people were not aware of the differences a winter tyre would provide on a car, Masters said.
George Masters believes snow tyres should be banned in New Zealand. A coroner determined that they may have been a contributing factor to a fatal crash on SH5 in 2020. Photo / Paul Taylor
“Most people would look at it and think ‘oh, that tyre has got lots of grip’ because a snow tyre is an aggressive looking tyre and they do have a lot more tread on them than your regular tyre.”
The police SCU report concluded that while the tyres were legal, they were not fit for purpose and likely reduced the available grip between the tyre and the road surface.
“I have reviewed a couple of crashes involving these types of tyres and they have been a contributing factor in both matters,” the SCU told the coroner.
A Waka Kotahi spokesperson said they would continue to publish and promote free guidance on the appropriate use of winter tyres, and the risks of misuse.
“Waka Kotahi has also run tyre education campaigns on social media over the past year, and we will be including specific information on winter tyres in our campaigns in 2023.”
