Rotorua motorists can expect to be fined if they are caught driving 5km/h or more over the speed limit.
The usual tolerance of 10km/h or less is being reduced around the country over summer and anyone driving 5km/h or more over the speed limit will be ticketed.
"Speed does impact on a
lot of crashes in the area," Sergeant Andrew Lynch of the Rotorua police said.
"If people reduce their speed, they will be less likely to crash."
Rotorua police officers would be out in force targeting speeding drivers, he said.
Police would also conduct drink driving checkpoints in and around Rotorua throughout the summer months.
"We will be doing checkpoints most weekends," Mr Lynch said.
"People do tend to drink more over summer and we want to deter them from getting behind the wheel after they have been enjoying the season's festivities."
The warmer weather usually meant an increase in traffic on the city's roads and police would also concentrate on the traffic around the region's lakes, Mr Lynch said.
The lakes were popular destinations for both residents and visitors and incidents often happened when drivers became impatient.
Mr Lynch said sporting events in Rotorua over summer could also cause congestion on the roads.
He urged drivers to be patient and plan their trips and to factor in extra time in case of traffic jams.
Motorists also needed to be careful when the weather changed, he said.
"We have had a long dry spell and when we have periods of dryness there is a build-up of oiliness and dirt on the street," he said.
"When we get rain it washes that on to the roads making them quite slippery." Mr Lynch said.
For police, the official holiday period will begin at 4pm on December 24 and end at 6am on January 5.
During the last Christmas holiday period, there were 13 road deaths around the country.
