Police lowering speed tolerance this Easter

Police will be lowering the speed tolerance to five kilometres per hour over the posted limit during the Easter period.

The official holiday period starts at 4pm this afternoon and runs through until 6am on Tuesday.

National Manager of Road Policing, Superintendent Paula Rose says it's been a good year so far.

"From October of last year, for each of the months to the end of March, New Zealand has either achieved a record low or a record equalling low for each of those months, and we want that to continue."

She says police are hoping the record low road toll for 2011 will continue through the Easter period.

"The speed tolerance will be reduced so that police will take action for anyone speeding at 5 kilometres or more over the posted speed limit."

Twelve people died on the roads last Easter.

Police are also telling drivers not to drive too slow this Easter weekend.

Bay of Plenty Senior Sergeant Stuart Nightingale is urging slow motorists to be considerate.

"Messages there is to drive at an appropriate speed, if you can't get up to a reasonable speed then certainly pull over and let people pass.

"That type of behaviour does result in a number of crashes."

Stuart Nightingale says police will also target drink driving, seatbelt use and failure to keep left.

- Newstalk ZB