Police warning after weekend road deaths
Police are pleading with drivers to take extra care ahead of the holidays in the wake of a tragic weekend on the roads.
The number of road fatalities for 2023 is sitting at 318.
Seventeen of those fatalities have occurred in December, with six of those occurring this past weekend alone.
The weekend's fatalities included Queenstown butcher Outrega Anderson, known as Tré, who was killed in a crash on State Highway 6 between the Crown Range turn off and Gibbston.
Investigations into the weekend’s crashes are ongoing, however with tens of thousands of extra cars travelling over the Christmas period, Police want to make sure everybody gets to their destination safely.
"Frustratingly, many of the crashes emergency services deal with are preventable," Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming says.
"We see too many where motorists have chosen to speed, drink-drive, or let their impatience get the better of them.
"We still see people not wearing seatbelts, and the gruesome result when a person is thrown through the windscreen.
"They’re bad decisions that impact families, other road users, and the first responders who have to pick up the pieces."
McSkimming says the message to motorists is simple: Belt up, keep your speed within the limits, and focus on the road in front of you.
As of November 30, Police had carried out more than 2.7 million breath tests across NZ, written 50,000 tickets for not wearing seatbelts, issued 362,000 speeding tickets, and dealt with 55,000 cell phone offences.
"If you’re having a big night, don’t make the selfish decision to get behind the wheel after you’ve been drinking.
"Focus on getting home in one piece."
Police will be highly visible on roads throughout the holidays and have a no-nonsense approach.
Along with marked patrol cars, officers will be out in unmarked vehicles, and checkpoints will be a regular feature across the country.
"Expect to see us at any hour of the day and expect to be breath-tested when we stop you.
"There’s no excuse for putting lives at risk and we are unapologetic about enforcing the road rules; if it means you get home for Christmas, it’s worth it."
