Lake, Fairy Springs, Clayton and Old Taupo Rds intersection has been the worst traffic light intersection for crashes in Rotorua in the past five years. Photo / Kelly Makiha
Lake, Fairy Springs, Clayton and Old Taupo Rds intersection has been the worst traffic light intersection for crashes in Rotorua in the past five years. Photo / Kelly Makiha
Rotorua's worst traffic light intersection and who is likely to crash has been revealed from crash data collated from police reports and given to the NZ Transport Agency. Kelly Makiha reports.
More drivers are crashing at Koutu corner in Rotorua than any other traffic light intersection in the city.
Andthe crashes are most likely caused by men aged 20-24, while the top three causes are poor observation, failing to give way and incorrect use of lanes.
Crash data collated from police reports and given to the NZ Transport Agency has just been released to the Rotorua Daily Post following an Official Information Act request.
It covers crashes relating to all traffic light intersections in Rotorua for the past five years (until November 25 for 2020) and revealed the most likely places you are to crash.
The data covered the city's 15 traffic light intersections and the good news is there were no fatal crashes at any of the intersections and only three crashes that resulted in serious injuries.
The serious-injury crashes were at the Old Taupo Rd and Pukuatua St intersection in 2016, Amohau and Fenton Sts intersection in 2016 and the Clayton Rd intersection - commonly called Koutu corner - in 2017.
Is this Rotorua's worst traffic light intersection? Photo / Kelly Makiha
Koutu corner's worst year for crashes was in 2016 when there were 12 crashes and the worst intersection in the past year until November 25 was Amohau and Fenton Sts when there were eight crashes.
Koutu corner tops the most crashes in the past five years with 34 crashes, closely followed by Amohau and Fenton Sts which recorded 29.
Only four of the 38 injury crashes in the past five years were caused by those aged older than 60. Men were also responsible for more crashes, with 27 being behind the wheel compared with nine women (the most common age bracket is those aged 20 to 24).
In two of the crashes, it was unknown if a man or woman was driving. Data isn't kept for non-injury crashes.
The drivers pointed to several reasons for their crashes, but the weather was only mentioned once. Alcohol was a factor in 18 of the crashes but by far the biggest issue was noted as poor observation, which was mentioned as being a cause in 75 crashes. Failing to give way was mentioned 52 times and incorrect lanes or being in the wrong position was mentioned 33 times.
The figures didn't surprise business owners, workers and shoppers who frequently navigate Koutu corner.
El Burrito Mexican Bar owner, who only wanted to be known as Sunil, runs his business on the corner near the intersection and said he could hear people tooting and wheels screeching quite often.
He said the lights should be removed at Lake, Fairy Springs, Clayton and Old Taupo Rds and replaced with a roundabout as it could make traffic flow better.
"What's there now is creating a big problem. Humans are crazy and Rotorua is getting busier and this is one of the scariest intersections in Rotorua. People who come from this side [north] and who have never been here before are so confused."
He said if things didn't change, the only solution was to have patience.
"Everyone wants to be somewhere now and we all have a crazy life."
Maggie Kruger, who works on Lake Rd, said Koutu corner was confusing for motorists.
"I've only been in New Zealand two years and that intersection was one of my first mistakes."
She said she didn't crash, but she had to hit the brakes when she realised she was in the wrong lane.
"It's hard to know which lane you go into ... The layout is difficult."
This intersection at Fenton and Amohau Sts is Rotorua's second-worst traffic light intersection in the last five years, and worst in 2020. Photo / Kelly Makiha
Meanwhile, Fenton and Amohau street businesses weren't surprised to learn their intersection was the second-worst.
The owner of Pizza Peddler on Fenton St, who didn't want to be named, could rattle off numerous crashes and near-misses.
He said he came to Rotorua from Auckland a year ago and blamed local drivers for their negligence.
He said twice at that intersection in the past year he had nearly been "taken out" by cars speeding at night with no headlights on.
"Both times it was only a matter of seconds that I saw them and I was saved."
He said when he now got a green light, he waited a couple of seconds to make certain nothing was coming.
He said only a few months ago, a car went through the intersection and took out a pole - leaving it hanging.
"It's just bad drivers."
Street View
Do you think the Koutu corner - Lake, Clayton and Fairy Springs Rds - is dangerous?
AJ Bharti
I see a lot of confusion at the lights and I can hear them honking their horns every day.
AJ Bharti Royal Indian Tandori Cuisine owner
Vanessa Davey
If you go too fast you sometimes don't know what lane you're meant to be in. The lanes are confusing because there's too much traffic now.
Vanessa Davey Tokoroa resident, formerly from Rotorua
Andrew Hayward
It is not bad at all. Drivers just don't know how to drive properly, that's all.
Andrew Hayward Rotorua
Karl Bowsher
It's all good for me because get to avoid that intersection on the way to and from work. But don't beep your horn, just wait three seconds and it's way easier than getting rarked up. We are our own worst enemy.
