Keep speeds low, travellers urged

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Police are asking drivers to do their part and slow down over the Easter/Anzac holiday period, particularly with bad weather forecast to lash many parts of the country.

From 4pm today police will again be enforcing a reduced 4km/h tolerance on speed limits following its success during the summer. That will run until 6am on Monday April 28.

"This is a logical step given the unusually long holiday period and the fact that many people will be taking the whole 10 days off and travelling in greater numbers," said national manager road policing, superintendent Carey Griffiths.

"We know that people make mistakes on the road, but that shouldn't cost you or someone else life or limb," he said.

"People have a simple choice whether or not to speed, and there is irrefutable evidence that reducing your speed by even small amounts can make all the difference in whether you walk away from a crash or are carried away."

Mr Griffiths said the goal of road safety agencies was for a repeat of Easter Weekend in 2012 and Queen's Birthday Weekend 2013, when there were no road deaths, along with fewer injuries.

"It would be outstanding if we were able to repeat that result this weekend - and beyond. That will mean fewer crosses marking our roadsides, fewer families grieving and fewer New Zealanders left with life-altering injuries.

"Since 1956 more than 560 people have been killed and 14,600 injured in crashes on our roads on Easter weekends," he said.

ACC is supporting the police speed enforcement effort, which includes an advertising campaign reminding drivers to slow down, said ACC chief executive Scott Pickering.

"Last year ACC received around 80 injury claims a day over Easter from road crashes, including everything from head injuries to smashed and bruised limbs," he said.

During the long weekend police will also be joining Australian Police in Operation Crossroads, to focus awareness on road safety issues.