Road workers abused and threatened: ‘We really need to do better as a society’

NZTA Auckland and Northland manager Jacqui Hori-Hoult (right), says one in four road workers is verbally abused every day. Photo / NZME

By Peter de Graaf - RNZ

One in four road workers is verbally abused by motorists on a daily basis, and one in three says it is taking a toll on their mental health, a survey by NZTA Waka Kotahi has found.

The survey also found one in five is thinking about looking for another job because of the ongoing abuse – at a time of record road repairs when workers are badly needed.

NZTA Auckland and Northland manager Jacqui Hori-Hoult says it is a growing problem.

In the most extreme case, a road worker was threatened with a gun in the Waikato earlier this summer.

Irate motorists had also got out of their cars to confront workers, or followed them back to the depot.

Hori-Hoult said it had become personal this summer because her son had joined a roading crew road for the first time.

“What I hadn’t really prepared him for was the amount of abuse that his team, while he was out picking up litter or cutting grass, was going to cop every day. I mean, I’m a mum. He was out there. I felt really bad that I hadn’t prepared him for that.”

Hori-Hoult said her son was “a pretty resilient kid”, but he understood how ongoing abuse could drag people down.

“From a personal perspective, I’m a mum for my son, but in my role, all of our workers are somebody’s son, somebody’s daughter, someone’s uncle. They’re all part of the whānau, so it’s not okay that they’re getting this type of abuse.”

Hori-Hoult believed it was a wider societal trend, with retail workers also facing more aggression.

She said increased stress, such as that caused by the rising cost of living, could be a factor.

Another likely factor was the record amount of road repairs – 203 lane-kilometres in Northland alone – being carried out on state highways this summer.

NZTA Waka Kotahi says road worker abuse is an increasing problem around the country. Photo / 123RF

While that was welcome, it did mean more roadworks and more delays.

“We accept that there are some frustrations from getting from A to B, especially if people are running late. There’s probably a lot of things going on in the back of people’s mind as they’re driving and unfortunately, they take it out on our road workers,” she said.

“We seem to think it’s okay to have these types of interactions with people, but I don’t think we reflect on how that affects the people we’re abusing. We really need to do better as a society.”

Road worker Tasman Nathan, of Whangārei, had an unpleasant encounter moments before talking to RNZ.

“We’ve just had a couple of people yelling at us, just screaming out abuse. Fair enough, you guys are waiting in traffic, but just think of your own family member doing the job that we do. We all want to go home at the end of the day. We’re trying to get these roads nice and safe for you guys,” he said.

Site traffic management supervisor Kingston Marsh, also from Whangārei, said workers were offered support or a change of roles if the abuse got too much for them.

De-brief sessions were held after the most serious incidents.

He urged drivers to “be respectful of the 30km/h temporary speed limit, go at a decent pace, and keep everyone safe”.

Driver-operator Missy Ashwell from Dargaville said everyone wanted their highways repaired and roadside rubbish picked up, so someone had to do it.

“You have some really good days and you come up against some really bad days. But you deal with it appropriately, you ring your supervisor, you get the registration of the vehicle and you *555 it. If it escalates, you just pull off the road and let them go.”

Ashwell had a simple message for drivers around the motu.

“Just be patient and look out, because it’s someone’s sister, someone’s aunty, someone’s brother, someone’s nan. Before you do anything silly, just remember, we’re all family out there.”

Hori-Hoult said motorists often questioned why roadworks were carried out in summer, when the roads were busy with people trying to reach holiday destinations.

She said most construction had to take place between September and March to make the most of drier weather.

“Roads and water don’t mix, and I think everyone’s seen the outcome of that in the Brynderwyns and the Mangamukas.”

Hori-Hoult said many road workers took pride in offering a cheery wave to each passing motorist.

A few had even achieved social media fame for their quintessentially Kiwi roadside dance moves.

“They really enjoy their jobs. They get pride out of it. So giving them a toot and a wave is way better than verbal abuse. If New Zealand could do more of that, that would be awesome,” she said.

Later this month, the Traffic Management Association of Australia would start a more detailed survey of road workers on both sides of the Tasman.

It was hoped the findings would offer a better insight into how widespread the problem was, and how it could be addressed.