Lower speed tolerance extended to all public holidays

Police will be lowering their speed tolerance to 4km/h over the limit for all public holidays, starting this weekend. Photo / Thinkstock

Police will be lowering their speed tolerance to 4km/h over the limit for all public holidays, starting this Queens Birthday weekend.

"We believe that lowering the tolerance has made a real difference to the number of deaths on the roads over the holiday periods," national manager of road policing Superintendent Paula Rose said.

Lowering the speeding tolerance was introduced last Queen's Birthday after a disastrous Easter when 12 people died on the roads. That Queen's Birthday weekend saw a huge turnaround with only two deaths and a more than 30 per cent reduction in crashes.

Since then, police have lowered the tolerance level every holiday weekend and have seen a consistently lowered road toll, she said.

"We think that it is making a difference and that as most drivers have now become used to the idea, it seems obvious to introduce it permanently. The lowered tolerance does have the unexpected benefit of making drivers concentrate and focus on their driving and their speed. This has spin-off benefits in making their driving safer.

"There are many factors involved in reducing fatalities on the roads but this is one thing that we can do that is making a difference," Ms Rose said.

Over this weekend along with the continued focus on speed, police will also target fatigue and alcohol.

"The road toll this year is very low so far, the lowest we have ever had and we want to keep in that way," Ms Rose said.

The Queens Birthday period starts at 6pm Friday and finishes on Tuesday at 6am.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce said that so far this year the road toll stood at 120, which was 60 lower than at the same time last year and the lowest in more than 30 years, but there was no room for complacency as the holiday weekend approached.

"While this year got off to a positive start in terms of the road toll, the last few days have sadly brought with them a significant number of fatal accidents on the road as winter sets in," he said.

"All road users need to be mindful of the weather conditions and extra traffic on the roads this holiday weekend and be extra vigilant."

Mr Joyce said progress made this year was encouraging but was a long way from a permanent "step-change" to a lower road toll.

He said the Government had introduced a number of law changes but ultimately it could only do so much.

"A very significant number of fatalities are caused by drivers making poor choices and operating outside the existing road rules," he said.

- NZPA