Intersections focus of road campaign (+ video)

Sergeant Dave Hamilton films drivers at intersections to show where they have failed to stop. Photo / Stephen Parker

Rotorua police say the number of drivers breaking road rules at the city's intersections is "concerning" and "shocking".

A month-long road safety campaign involving police, Rotorua Lakes Council and Road Safety Rotorua is under way.

Police say it has uncovered a significant number of drivers flouting intersection road rules around the city - and if drivers try to argue the case the police are providing video evidence to prove it.

The partnership project is based on intersections with high crash risk rates.

Officers are using their smart phones to film drivers at intersections. They then use the recordings to play back the rule-breaking to drivers.

Rotorua police area commander Inspector Bruce Horne said in the last few days police had caught between 10 and 15 people a day in Rotorua for intersection infringements.

"Some are issued with warnings, some are given infringement notices - there's a lot of factors we weigh up," he said.

"That compliance [level] is really concerning because a lot of our crashes occur as a result of people failing to comply with the road rules."

Sergeant Dave Hamilton said officers had seen many drivers failing to obey road rules.

"It's shocking really," he said.

"The Old Taupo Rd and Hemo Rd intersection is one of the worst in the country and yet people slow down and roll through the corner, or cruise through [the stop sign] at 15 to 20km/h. Others are on the borderline, they think they've stopped but they've not. We're trying to educate and enforce."

He said using smart phones meant officers could pinpoint a driver's offending and replay it so they could see the error of their ways.

"Some have said they thought they did stop and they're quite surprised when they see the replay. You've only got to look at the number of accidents at these intersections. If it's a stop sign you have got to stop.

"People will have a little glance and head out but that's when you've not seen the 42-tonne logging truck."

As well as stop signs, police have been patrolling roundabouts and traffic light controlled intersections.

Fines for failing to stop at a stop sign, failing to give way at a give way sign, running a red light and incorrect lane changing on a roundabout are $150 each.

Mr Hamilton said drivers should refresh their knowledge of the road code, especially at roundabouts and traffic lights.

According to the council, Rotorua has six intersections with particularly high crash risk ratings - Tutanekai and Amohau Sts; Old Taupo and Malfroy Rds; Tarawera roundabout; Ngongotaha roundabout; Whirinaki Valley Rd/State Highway 30; and the Old Taupo Rd/ State Highway 30 (Hemo Rd) intersection, which has been identified as the fourth worst intersection in New Zealand for crashes.

The road safety campaign will run into September.