October road deaths lowest on record

For immediate release
1 November 2004

October road deaths lowest on record

Provisional national figures released today by the Land Transport Safety Authority show 24 road deaths in New Zealand for the month of October – the lowest October figure since monthly recording began in 1965.

The previous low of 26 was recorded in October 2000. The highest October toll of 75 was recorded in 1987, and as recently as 1998 the October road toll was 53. The lowest number of road deaths recorded for any calendar month in New Zealand was 22, in September 2002, while the worst month on record was February 1973, when 85 were killed.

Director of Land Transport Safety David Wright said the record low toll for this October continued a downward trend in road deaths following the introduction of "anywhere anytime" speed cameras in early April of this year.

Road deaths have dropped by 12% since April, from 266 last year to 233 this year. The average April-October toll for the previous five years was 258.
Police infringement data shows there has also been a 12% drop in the number of speed camera tickets issued in the first six months since "anywhere anytime" speed cameras were rolled out over Easter weekend - 226,259 compared with 257,181 for the same period in 2003.

"When you add these things together, it suggests that more drivers are slowing down - there have been fewer fatal crashes and more people are alive today because of that. None of the predictions about a 'ticketing bonanza' from anywhere-anytime cameras have come to pass. Like all police enforcement activity this measure is aimed squarely at saving lives on our roads," Mr Wright said.

October road deaths two of two

The change to "anywhere anytime" speed camera deployment is part of a package of enforcement measures announced by Government last year, which together with road engineering and driver education initiatives is designed to help meet the goal of no more than 300 deaths per year on New Zealand roads by 2010. The road toll last year was 461.

ENDS

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