Editorial: Slow driver danger

Photo / Stephen Parker

If we all needed another reminder to stay safe on our roads over the holiday period we got one yesterday after another fatal accident near Rotorua.

The country's roads which, let's face it, are not the best in the world, are getting busier and we all need to realise we are sharing that space with all sorts of other road users - trucks, campervans, motorcyclists, cyclists and cars towing boats or caravans.

Senior Sergeant Dennis Murphy of the Rotorua police says people driving too fast or too slow can be just as dangerous.

We've all been stuck behind that slow caravan or campervan holding up traffic for miles and he's asking those drivers to be considerate and pull over to let others past. You may think you are driving safely at 80km/h, but look behind you and see if you are holding up traffic. If you are, then imagine the frustration of those people trying to drive at the speed limit.

This frustration leads to people making errors of judgment causes road rage and the result - accidents and death.

At the other end of the scale, those driving too fast on our congested summer roads are a road crash waiting to happen. Yesterday, Waikato police clocked a driver hitting speeds up to 240km/h - total madness. This sort of person will probably kill themselves, but take others with them with the carnage caused by driving at such ridiculously stupid speeds.

So far, two of the three road deaths in New Zealand this holiday season happened within 48 hours of each other on Bay of Plenty roads.

And with at least two people in critical conditions after yesterday's crash near Paengaroa, that total could rise.

So, please drive safely - at or near the speed limit - consider other drivers and don't take risks. The last thing we as reporters want to be doing during your summer holidays is writing more stories about the grief and loss of those left behind after preventable crashes on our roads.