ACC Urges Easter Drivers To Slow Down

MEDIA RELEASE
8 April 2009

ACC Urges Easter Drivers To Slow Down

According to ACC, the key to staying safe on the roads this Easter is simple – slow down and drive to the conditions.

``There are a lot of ways drivers can help keep everyone safe on the roads, and reduce their own chances of being in a crash. But we know that the best way to keep road injuries down is simple, just slow down,’’ says ACC’s Judy Buchanan, Programme Manager Road Safety.

Last year, driving too fast for the conditions contributed to one-in-five injuries on the roads and more than 100 fatal crashes. ACC estimates that it saw about a thousand people who were seriously injured as a result of speed, and that cost of their claims for the year were approximately $17.5 million. A 1% reduction in speed reduces crashes by about 3%.

``Watching your speed isn’t just driving to the speed limit, it’s also taking the conditions into account. If it’s raining you need to slow down a bit and increase your following distance, it’s slowing down before bends in the road, its being patient before overtaking the strangers in town who create extra traffic on your local roads at holiday times.’’

ACC’s top tips for having a safe Easter on the roads are:

1. Keep to, or under, the speed limit
2. Brake on the straight, before the bend
3. Increase your following distance in the rain
4. Schedule breaks into your trip so you don’t get too tired
5. Make sure everyone in the car is wearing a seatbelt
6. Stay focused on driving and keep an eye out for pedestrians, cyclists and motorbike riders

ENDS

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