Northland and Canterbury players wore special-edition jerseys with a road-safety message during their recent NPC clash at Semenoff Stadium in Whangārei. Photo / supplied.
Northland and Canterbury players wore special-edition jerseys with a road-safety message during their recent NPC clash at Semenoff Stadium in Whangārei. Photo / supplied.
A campaign using one of Northland’s most powerful platforms – rugby – is targeting the region’s high number of young male drivers who don’t wear seatbelts.
More than half of road deaths in Northland this year have involved unrestrained drivers or passengers, and this campaign aims to reach those leastlikely to buckle up: rural males aged 18 to 39.
Last Saturday, Northland and Canterbury rugby players sported a special-edition kit during their NPC clash at Semenoff Stadium in Whangārei, with stripes designed to look like seatbelts.
The gear change is part of a road safety campaign by the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).
“Rugby is the heartbeat of so many rural communities, so taking the message to grassroots rugby means we’re targeting the group least likely to use seatbelts – men aged 18–39 living in rural communities – through the clubs and communities they are part of,” said Tara MacMillan, NZTA’s head of regulatory strategic programmes.
The failure to wear a seatbelt is a deadly trend in Northland and Canterbury. Since 2020, 45% of people killed in vehicle crashes in Northland weren’t buckled up, and in 2025 so far (up to August 31), that figure has climbed to 55%.
Canterbury ranks as the second-worst region for seatbelt non-compliance, with 31% of road deaths since 2020 involving unrestrained drivers or passengers.
“Wearing a seatbelt is one of the easiest, fastest and most effective ways to protect yourself in a crash,” MacMillan said.
“It’s about protecting yourself, your whānau and your mates. If everyone buckled up, we could save around 20 lives every year.”
Northland Rugby captain Matt Moulds said the jersey carried a message that hit close to home.
“If you live in Northland, you know that, to get anywhere, you do a lot of driving. The first thing you should do when you get in the car is put on your seatbelt, not just for yourself, but for your loved ones and your community.
“This jersey’s a really special one. It represents my friends, family, partner, teammates and community. We’re lucky as Taniwha to have wide reach across our six sub-unions, and this is a message we’re proud to carry.”
Fellow player Marcel Renata said the campaign’s impact could ripple through the region. “It’s a small, tight-knit community up here. Everyone knows everyone. If even one person watching the game decides to buckle up when they normally wouldn’t, that’s a win.
“Wearing this jersey has the power to save lives.”
Northland Tanifans (Taniwha fans) William Morunga and Arriane Christie got on board with the team's effort to support the new road safety campaign. Photo / supplied
The campaign’s messaging – “Who do you wear it for?” and “Buckle up every drive” – is designed to make seatbelt use personal and habitual, no matter how short the trip.
It’s part of NZTA’s National Road Safety Promotion Programme, which delivers education and awareness campaigns to reduce harm on the roads.
Road safety educator Poumau Papali’i Smith, who works in the Far North, said the campaign was especially relevant in rural areas where enforcement was low and the risks were high.
“Our roads are windy, narrow, and often shared with logging trucks, livestock, or fallen trees. People think it won’t happen to them – until it does,” he said.
“Rugby connects our communities, just like our roads do. Having players champion this message is powerful. They’re role models, and when they speak, people listen – especially our rangatahi.”
Canterbury head coach Marty Bourke said, “The team is honoured to be able to wear these special-edition jerseys. It’s also great to know that, beyond game day, they’ll be hanging in community club rooms around Canterbury and Northland to keep this issue top of mind.”
Stripes and hoops have long been a symbol of provincial pride in New Zealand rugby, dating back to the 19th century. By adapting these into seatbelt designs, the campaign aims to turn a familiar tradition into a visual reminder of the importance of restraint use.
Seatbelts have been compulsory in New Zealand since the 1970s, yet compliance remains an issue. Since 2020, 447 people killed in crashes were unrestrained, including 61 in Northland and 52 in Canterbury.
Sarah Curtis is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on a wide range of issues. She has nearly 20 years’ experience in journalism, most of which she spent reporting on courts in Gisborne and on the East Coast.
