3 June 2014

Drivers reminded of need to drive safely

Holiday-makers heading away for Queen’s Birthday weekend were met with a friendly reminder of the need to drive fresh during a fatigue stop in Woodville on Friday May 30.

Coordinated by Horizons Regional Council and New Zealand Police, the stop provided an opportunity to talk directly to drivers and equip them with resources to promote a safer journey.

Horizons road safety coordinator Debbie Webster says she and a team of volunteers provided bottled water and information packs to 536 drivers between about 3pm and 5.30pm.

Police put the total number stopped at around 1040 with more drivers waved through as traffic built up.

“The majority of drivers were really happy to receive the packs and really receptive to the whole exercise. It’s fantastic to have Students Against Driving Drunk (SADD) involved and so passionate about making the region’s roads safer,” Ms Webster said.

Police also took the opportunity to breath test stopped drivers, with no drivers over the blood alcohol limit.

11 infringement notices were issued by Police with most relating to expired warrant of fitness and vehicle registrations.

Overall Ms Webster described the fatigue stop as a success and hopes safety messages will stick with drivers long after the official holiday period ended on Tuesday 3 June.

“Sadly Tararua did lose a driver in a fatal crash this weekend. However, we hope the stop helped raise awareness of road safety amongst others passing through Woodville and are thankful for the support of Police and our road safety partners.

“Working in partnership with our communities we can reduce the risk, for safer roads in Tararua and throughout New Zealand.”

Tips for drivers embarking on long journeys:

• Get plenty of sleep before leaving on a trip;
• Avoid setting out on a long journey after having worked a full day;
• Try not to drive when you would normally be asleep (early morning and late at night);
• Take regular breaks, and if feeling sleepy then a short ‘power nap’ of no more than 20 minutes is encouraged;
• Share the driving where possible;
• Eat well balanced meals and take non-alcoholic drinks regularly during the trip;
• If you are taking any medication, check whether it causes drowsiness; and
• Use the air conditioning (outside air flow) to keep you more alert.

ENDS

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