"Police reminder Otago motorists to drive safely this long weekend"

Senior Sergeant Jared Kirk, Team Leader for Road Policing in Otago says Police will have a visible and active presence on Otago roads during Labour Weekend, focusing on high risk behaviour through prevention and enforcement.

“We’ll be targeting known hot spots and risky behaviours such as speed enforcement, drug and alcohol testing, cell phone use, and seat belt checks.

We know these are the four main behaviours which contribute to death and serious injury on our roads, and these are what we address when we interact with people and share road safety massages.

“If you’re lucky enough to be travelling away for the long weekend I really encourage you to enjoy the journey.

“Be patient and considerate, don’t attempt to overtake other traffic unless it’s completely safe to do so.

“Share the driving if you can.

If you can’t and you’re tired, distracted, or feeling fed up, pull over and take a break.

“If you’re driving slowly or towing, check your mirrors and regularly pull over to let other vehicles pass.

Impeding the flow of traffic can cause other drivers frustration and contribute to them making risky decisions.”

ENDS

Note on speed threshold

Over the holiday period – 4pm on Friday 19 October to 6am on Tuesday 23 October 2018 – if you're detected by a safe speed camera exceeding the posted speed limit by more than 4 km/h, you are highly likely to be ticketed.

Our officers have the discretion to take action for any speed in excess of the speed limit or other risky driving behaviour. Their focus is on preventing harm on our roads.

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