"As volumes increase on our road, so does what we call the collective risk."
"Think about each other and take your time, be patient, be kind. That applies to your driving as well as every other part of your life," she said.
Automobile Association road safety spokesperson Dylan Thomsen warns that drivers might be a bit rusty after weeks off the road and it's not just drunk or speeding drivers taking risks.
"We've certainly heard anecdotal reports that since people have been back on the roads they've noticed others haven't been driving as well as normal.
"Give yourself more of a buffer, leave more following distance, give yourself more time, because you and thousands of others out there may not be at 100 per cent with driving at the moment," he said.
Thomsen said it was also time to fix up a lot of the country's shoddy roads.
"Things like adding median barriers, improving intersections, widening shoulders. We have a lot of highways that carry a lot of traffic and they are narrow, with just a strip of paint down the middle.
"The potential of tragedy is just way too huge."
Transport Agency spokesperson Mark Owen offered some important safety reminders.
"Drive to the appropriate speed, particularly keep an eye out for roadworks, fatigue is another big one so be mindful of that, watch for the distraction factor and check your vehicles - they've obviously been stored at home for a while so check your tyres, tread and wipers."
