This week is Road Safety Week with communities across the country, including the Far North, calling on drivers to “Be a road safety hero” and make safe choices around roads, including putting their phone down when at the wheel.
Brake, the road safety charity that co-ordinates the week, says drivers are still not getting the message about the dangers of using a phone while driving, with police figures showing there were almost 60,000 mobile phone offences in 2023. Drivers who talk on phones, both hands-free and hand-held, are four times more likely to be in a crash resulting in injuries, and researchers have found a correlation between phone use and culpability in crashes.
The Road Safety Week theme, Be a road safety hero, highlights some of the things road users can do to help make our roads safer. It also recognises all those road safety heroes who are working to make our roads safer and support people following a crash.
Fatal crash at Russell
A person died following a serious crash in Russell last Wednesday morning.
Emergency services responded to the crash involving a vehicle and a pedestrian on Russell-Whakapara Rd about 10.35am.
Sadly, the pedestrian received critical injuries and died at the scene. The Serious Crash Unit was in attendance and inquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.
Choral music festival
In an effort to encourage young people to sing in choirs, the Choral Federation of NZ will be hosting a young choral singers workshop and concert in Whangārei. Conductor David Squire and the Auckland Youth Choir will work with local college choirs and any interested community choirs and individuals. The event is on May 25 at the Pompallier Catholic College. Far North choirs keen to take part or find out more should email sam@ayc.org.nz.
Roading contracts extended
Ventia (NZ) Ltd and Fulton Hogan Ltd have had their contracts to manage Far North District Council roads extended by 12 months.
At the Far North District Council’s April meeting, Ventia was awarded the council’s Southern Road Maintenance and Renewals Contract for a further year from July 1. Fulton Hogan was awarded the Northern Road Maintenance and Renewals Contract, also by one year from July 1.
The contracts include road surfacing, pavement rehabilitation, emergency response, drainage, grading and potholing. This contract extension will give council staff the necessary time to develop and procure new contract models that reflect the shifting priorities on the Far North’s roading network.
