Media Release
Transit New Zealand
Tauranga Regional Office
Media Release
29 March 2008
Surf Lifesavers Take to the Mountains
It may seem like an unlikley partnership, but New Zealand Surf Lifesaving rep Johanna O’Connor has joined forces with local road safety agencies for a road safety campaign.
Johanna is passionate about the unique Bay of Plenty campaign aims to keep motorists safe on SH29 over the Kaimais.
“Like all lifesavers I spend my time helping to make our beaches safer places for everyone. We constantly monitor conditions and keep a lookout for potentially dangerous situations to cut your risks to a minimum. But for many people, just getting to the coast is the most hazardous part of a day at the beach.”
The aim of the campaign is to reduce the number of fatal and serious injury crashes on the Kaimais by 10 percent by June next year through raising awareness of factors which could contribute to a crash, including driver fatigue, speed and alcohol.
Transit New Zealand regional manager Kaye Clark said weather over the Kaimais could change dramatically from sunshine to fog or heavy rain in a short time. Together with the heavy concentration of trucks and cars using the road, the potential for crashes was greatly raised.
Of the crashes occurring in the Kaimais, 37 percent were at twilight or in the dark, 39 percent were in the wet and 43 percent over a weekend. In almost a third of the crashes, people were driving too fast, and 51 percent lost control or had a head-on crash on a bend. Fifteen percent of crashes involved a truck. Young or inexperienced drivers were also implicated, with 37 percent of those at fault less than 25 years old and 20 percent on a restricted license.
The ‘Be a Lifesaver’ campaign urges motorists to run a checklist for travelling across the Kaimais, including driving to the conditions, keeping a safe distance behind other drivers, using slow vehicle lanes, turning off cell phones, driving sober, being aware of heavy trucks on the road, avoiding driving while tired, checking ahead for hazards and considering other road users.
“By driving safely, motorists can lessen their chances of becoming another crash statistic,” Mrs Clark said.
The campaign is a joint Transit New Zealand, ACC, Environment BOP and Land Transport New Zealand project, and is expected to run for up to five years.
For further information please contact:
Kaye Clark,
Transit New Zealand Regional Manager,
Ph 07 903 5104 or 0272795751