Caught out! Western Bay long weekend speeding ticket data released

A top cop says Bay of Plenty police will be taking a tough stance on speeders this Auckland Anniversary weekend after a tragic 2019 road toll.

And if the 75 people who died in 2019 - 23 more than 2018 - isn't enough to make speeders think twice, maybe more than $350,000 in long weekend speeding fines will have some impact.

Police have released speeding fine data from the past five Labour weekends to the Bay of Plenty Times under the Official Information Act.

Between cameras and road policing officers, $113,980 was collected in the Western Bay of Plenty, plus a total of $248,840 in Rotorua, Taupō and the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

The fines were collected each year over a five-day stretch that includes the day before and after the official holiday period.

The data showed the number of officer-issued speed infringements across the Bay of Plenty policing district hit a five-year low last year - but the same can't be said for those caught out by speed cameras.

Throughout the Bay of Plenty region, 246 officer-issued speeding infringements were handed out over the weekend in 2019 totalling $32,470 in fines.

Some 630 tickets were issued through speeding cameras, on the other hand, resulting in $27,290 in fines.

In the Western Bay alone, $17,130 was collected over the 2019 Labour weekend, with 56 fines handed out by officers and 237 from cameras.

Last year's road toll in the Bay of Plenty was the highest of any police district in New Zealand, and police have said speed was one of the most common factors.

Bay of Plenty road policing manager Inspector Brent Crowe knows only too well what the scene of a crash site looks like, which is why his stance on speed is simple.

"The speed limit is the just that, a limit. Not a target.

"It is especially sad to know that during a year [2019] when the overall number of road deaths in New Zealand fell significantly for the first time in a long time, that it rose in the Bay of Plenty region."

He said police would be out in force this Anniversary weekend, taking a hard line on infringements and ensuring everybody on the roads, get to their destination safely.

Crowe said the tolerance over holiday periods was usually 4km/h over the limit for safe speed cameras.

"Long weekends traditionally see more people using the roads as they take advantage of extra time off and the chance to get out of town. So with more people, comes more risk."

He wanted to see people sticking to the speed limit, driving to the conditions, wearing a seatbelt, and not driving when impaired or distracted.

"If every driver considered these factors every single time they got behind a wheel, we may not have so many families grieving for their loved ones today."

A New Zealand Transport Agency spokeswoman said the agency was undertaking the biggest maintenance programme for the last decade to help improve the road, increase safety and make everyone's journeys more enjoyable.

There were 21 projects across the Bay of Plenty.

"No matter what causes a crash, speed can be the difference between walking away or being carried away."

An Automobile Association spokesman said passengers could also help make sure everyone gets to their destination safely.

"Don't just leave everything up to the driver when you're travelling.

"Think of yourself like a co-pilot and ask the driver what you can do to help them stay focused, alert and not missing anything happening on the road."

Driving to the conditions was not just about the weather, he said.

"It's about the condition of the road you're on, the traffic conditions around you and the condition you're in as a driver as well.

"The speed limit is not a target and sometimes drivers need to be travelling slower than it."

Tips for safe driving this long weekend

• Check your car is in good "health" before you head off. Check your tyre pressure and tread, windscreen wipers, indicators and lights.

• Take extra care when travelling in holiday periods because of increased traffic volumes, congestion, tiredness and people driving in unfamiliar environments.

• Drive to the conditions - whether it's the weather, the road you're on, the time of day or amount of traffic.

• Avoid fatigue. Take regular breaks to stay alert.

• Keep a safe following distance from vehicles in front so you can stop safely.

• Be patient – overtaking is unlikely to make a significant difference to your journey time due to the amount of traffic expected over the weekend.

• Allow plenty of time. Remember you are on holiday, so there's no need to rush.