Rotorua drivers reminded of road safety messages heading into winter months

With winter coming, drivers are reminded to drive to the conditions. Photo / File

As alert levels have been reducing and winter has been creeping closer, drivers are asked to remember some key messages while out on the roads.

Road policing manager for Rotorua police, Senior Sergeant Simon Sinclair, says they have experienced a lot more traffic on the roads and there are drivers who are not necessarily driving to the conditions.

"With winter coming there are more ice and weather-related accidents. We would like people to slow down, drive more considerately and increase gaps between cars.

"A lot of people got used to there not being many people on the road."

He says driver speed, tailgating or following other cars too closely are the main concerns.

Other common general messages such as always wearing seatbelts and not drinking and driving were also always good messages to remind people of, he says.

Simon says he did send his staff out on the highways over Queen's Birthday weekend, so police could have a presence and try to help control people's speed through that presence.

He says over the weekend they had not had a lot of excessive speeding, which may be because of the number of vehicles on the roads.

Unfortunately with this there was a lot of tailgating and driving too closely to other cars, he says.

"I think behaviour wasn't too bad and traffic helped keep people in check, but it did contribute to a couple crashes."

He says there is also the universal message to remind people of to take extra care and watch your speed around schools.

He says they want to encourage children to take modes of transport such as walking to school, but that children needed to be able to be safe doing that.

Simon says people need to realise the posted speed limit is a maximum not a target.

Drivers are expected to adjust their travelling speeds depending on the weather conditions and road environment and show patience.