1 April 2016

Deadliest start to year on roads since 2010

This year has seen the deadliest start on our roads since 2010, with 89 deaths since January 1, Labour’s Transport spokesperson Sue Moroney says.

“This comes on the back of National's cuts to road maintenance and road safety funding, along with recent revelations of driver licensing and warrant of fitness scams.

“It was bad enough that 2015 was the second consecutive year the road toll had risen against a long-term trend of decrease, but now 2016 has started with 10 per cent more deaths than the same time last year and 35 per cent more than in 2013.

“Behind each of these 89 deaths is a tragic story of a valuable life cut short and the loss and grief it causes their family and friends.

“To make matters worse, Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss is planning to allow bigger and heavier trucks with less regulatory oversight into this dangerous environment.

“In the last Budget, National cut $20 million from road safety funding and spending on regional road maintenance is down $55 million a year since 2010.

“The Minister Craig Foss needs to join the dots and urgently address his Government's road safety failure,” Sue Moroney says.

ends

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