John Williamson is chairman of Roadsafe Northland and Northland Road Safety Trust.
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Opinion: New proposals aim to streamline driver licence process
It may seem simpler but stricter penalties will be in place.
John Williamson: Books preserving wartime letters capture poignant family stories
They are an important enduring memorial of personal family experiences of war.
Opinion: Bright stars shining on our transport future
'The Ocean Flyer presentation was fascinating.'
John Williamson: Would Whangārei benefit from congestion charges?
Don’t hold your breath about less peak time congestion.
Opinion: Plan to expand citizen arrest powers raises ‘interesting questions’
How do people who are untrained in reasonable force make judgments about that?
John Williamson: Rules around signage and speeding begs the question of why?
A bevvy of road rules and changes gives rise to more questions than answers.
John Williamson: Why back seat driving could be ruining your road trips
About 82% of people admit to back seat driving, with almost half doing it regularly.
Remembering a good man who lived life to the fullest - John Williamson
Rest in peace Geoff Thomas, you taught us a thing or two.
John Williamson: Why NZTA's stance on driving simulators misses the mark
Driving simulators help learner drivers' experiences and reactions to driving conditions.
John Williamson: Northland's roads to get facelift, but expect road cones and delays
Pothole fund boosts road maintenance.
John Williamson: Insurance - should we have it?
A fence destroyed in a car crash has John Williamson considering the value of insurance.
Time to think about vulnerable road users - John Williamson
OPINION: There is a developing battleground between footpath users.
John Williamson: Time to have an intelligent, dispassionate conversation about toll roads
OPINION: Our most famous toll road was the Auckland Harbour Bridge.
Opinion: But be kind to the op shop workers, they don’t need to be disposers of your household rubbish
Picking up roadside litter on Northland highways costs NZTA almost $1M.
On The Road with John Williamson- Enforced Speed Limit Increases
Opinion: It’s pretty sad that speed limits should be politicised in this way.
Opinion: Medically unfit to drive has got to be based on medical and driving evidence
OPINION: The issue is that senior drivers should not be unjustifiably targeted.
I’m proud of what we have done towards the productivity and prosperity of Whangārei District - John Williamson
OPINION: Maungatapere Water Company is a 30-year success story.
John WIlliamson: Good to see a minister on top of his portfolio
OPINION: This is no patsy pat on the back.
John Williamson: Is leaving the Northland Transportation Alliance a good idea?
OPINION: Now, these local authorities have to rebuild and duplicate the systems.
John Williamson: Making a visible difference to road safety
OPINION: A study shows older drivers recognise cyclists less often than younger ones.
John Williamson: Tests for our ability to drive are important
OPINION: The ability and capability to drive are precious factors in our lives.
OPINION: Slow pace on speed warning signage – John Williamson
More than a decade on there's finally some action on empty government promises.
Brynderwyns are on the national political radar, we don’t need to grandstand - John Williamson
OPINION: It was disappointing to see the alternative labelled a "fiasco" or "unjustified".
John Williamson: Roadwork site fatalities show temporary traffic management needs work itself
Two tragedies in the region this year have been at sites with traffic management in place.
John Williamson: Wombat crossings aren't just a lick of paint as Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown suggests
Cost can be an issue but the speed reduction and pedestrian safety benefits are obvious.
John Williamson: More road cones, but also more traffic management rules
The temporary traffic management system adds significantly to the cost of roading jobs.
John Williamson: We claim to value the potential to save lives, but our outdated fines say otherwise
OPINION: Politicians talk about reviewing systems, but seem timid about the backlash.
John Williamson: Honouring our volunteers
OPINION: Volunteering, though, will see challenges going forward.
John Williamson: Our car increase is outstripping our population increase
OPINION: 85,000 new vehicles were registered in the first six moths of 2023.
John Williamson: Time for a shift in our thinking about public transport
OPINION: Trying for a mindset for drivers
John Williamson: Parking strategy or war on cars
OPINION: WDC should be factoring more technology into its strategy.
John Williamson: Why don’t we care enough to use seatbelts and child restraints properly?
We need to take note of our road fatalities where a lack of restraints were an issue.
John Williamson: Have we become desensitised to our road toll?
OPINION: It’s a phenomenon known as psychic numbing.
John Williamson: Purpose of road signs goes off-track amid bilingual debate
OPINION: Other countries seemed to have adopted bilingual signs with ease.
Comment: It's time we took a bold approach to roadside drug testing
The mind boggles that we can’t find an appropriate testing device.
John Williamson: The perfect storm on the roads this summer
Spare a thought for those working on the roads these holidays.
Speed cuts on state highways inevitable - John Wiliiamson
State highway speed cuts inevitable, but make a submission
Comment: How traffic offending can lead to a life behind bars
Driver licensing programme for offenders helping steer people clear of the prison pathway.
Comment: Community takes stand against proposed Maunu liquor store
The actions of a community will help play a role in keeping our district's roads safer.
Opinion: Where our state highways are getting it right
A lot of work has been done to mitigate the issue of effluent on the region's key roads.
Comment: Extreme weather events make a new system for funding roads essential
We need to continue to advocate for properly funded roads as they're vital: Williamson
Opinion: The need for roadside election signs vs safety
John Williamson weighs the payoff of election signs against their hassles.
John Williamson: School bus safety still needs an urgent fix
We need to continue to push for better safety around our school buses, says Williamson.
John Williamson: The psychology behind buying a car
Williamson explores the psychology behind car choice, colour, and even the salesperson.
John Williamson: Time to get rid of the 'wet bus ticket' for dangerous driving
John Williamson details what's going wrong when it comes to deterring dangerous drivers.
John Williamson: How volunteers are making Northland a better place
John Williamson lays out the benefits of volunteering for the community.
What should a driver do when an animal crosses their path? And should you eat roadkill?
Columnist John Williamson explores what could happen when wildlife and vehicles meet.
Comment: Without the buy-in, it's a long road to zero
Columnist John Williamson says there is no public ownership in the Road to Zero campaign
Opinion: Time to get serious about seatbelts
The cause of a third of our road fatalities gets no political attention.
John Williamson: The case for compulsory third party insurance
Compulsory third party insurance is a sensible choice - John Williamson
John Williamson: The cheese cutter myth explored
There are some stark differences between a driver's and a motorcyclist's philosophies.
John Williamson: Speed limits a case of horses for courses
Speed limits have got to make sense against the look and feel of the road
John Williamson: Catch and punish the speeders
Better to catch and punish the speeders now than make us all drive slower, Williamson says
John Williamson: Nothing like a road trip to see the state of our roads
The road should tell you what speed it can safely be driven.
Comment: Roads not the only spoke in biker safety plan
There are five key priority areas that need to be addressed
John Williamson: Excessive flushing and speed limits
It is generally accepted that 100km/h is not a safe and appropriate speed for rural roads.
Three Waters deserves democratic solution
True leadership happens when the people say we did it ourselves, writes John Williamson
Don't be the 0.1 per cent idiot driver
Motorists who don't obey road rules will carry on unaffected by a reduced speed limit
Are there too many warning signs on the roadside?
Research suggests drivers notice only 15 per cent of speed signs
Council flip-flop rattles fair representation status
Māori and everyone-else wards for Whangārei could do more harm than good
Employer steps up to put staff in driver's seat
Dargaville's Silver Fern Farms sponsors driver licence process for employees
Back on booze in lockdown - deadly on our roads
Is it time to pick up the ball and get serious again about drink driving?
If WOF, rego checks make our roads safer then so be it
All road vehicles must be legal and safe to be on the road, says road safety advocate
Marsden Pt rail link will spur growth in region
Rail has been the orphan of our transport network for too long, says John Williamson
Roadside workers must be kept safe
Traffic management plans add about $1m to the $30m Northland highway maintenance bill.
Tragic crash: Driver licence system review welcome
Regional co-ordination, wider spread of driver licence testing localities needed
Cars, utes reign in North's climate crisis tug of war
Public transport can't replace the pleasure, convenience of private motoring in Northland
Why do we need Northland speed limit review?
What's lacking in most reviews is the case for and against any speed limit reduction.
Zero emissions NZ by 2050 - how do we get there?
More questions than answers on going electric to save the planet, writes John Williamson.
Keep user charges for road maintenance not to fund rail plans
Northland roads are crying out for an upgrade after years of being battered by log trucks.
Hard road to solve the North's roading woes
Northland in dire need of more maintenance spending, says road safety advocate.
Rotary young driver course makes impact
RYDA is designed for 16 -to 18-year-olds, who are at a crucial time in their lives.
Why we should follow Aussies' lead on roadside drug testing
It's 18 months since it was announced police would get new powers to test drugged drivers.
Lower speed limits at roadworks for staff-driver safety
It's 30km/h if workers are present, road is down to one lane or for stop-go controls ...
Comment: 3pc of drivers not buckled in cause 30pc of road toll
Northland's road toll last year was much worse than that, says John Williamson.
Do safer cars make better drivers?
Research shows drivers do best when paying attention to surroundings and aren't flummoxed.
Stuck with school time congestion on our roads
Why do parents lack confidence to let children walk or cycle to and from school safely?
When is it appropriate to give up driving?
Difficult conversations need to be planned, constructive and with an agreed outcome.
Smartphone-distracted driving the new drink driving
NZAA and SADD roll out Drive in the Moment toolkit road safety initiative.