New Zealand government wants fewer road deaths

The government of New Zealand is developing a plan aimed at reducing 750 deaths and 5,600 serious injuries expected on its roads over the next ten years. Anne Genter, associate transport minister, says: “Most roads deaths and serious injuries are preventable and too many New Zealanders have lost their lives or been seriously injured in crashes that could have been prevented by road safety upgrades.” Genter believes the new target can be achieved mainly by increasing investment in road safety infrastr
July 25, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

The government of New Zealand is developing a plan aimed at reducing 750 deaths and 5,600 serious injuries expected on its roads over the next ten years.

Anne Genter, associate transport minister, says: “Most roads deaths and serious injuries are preventable and too many New Zealanders have lost their lives or been seriously injured in crashes that could have been prevented by road safety upgrades.”

Genter believes the new target can be achieved mainly by increasing investment in road safety infrastructure over the next decade.

“Already this Government is investing a record $1.4 billion over three years to upgrade over 3,300km of our most dangerous roads,” she continues. “This plan proposes greater investment in proven safety upgrades like median barriers, roundabouts and safe cycling infrastructure.”

As part of this ambition, the New Zealand government intends to reduce annual deaths and serious injuries by 40% by 2030.

It is also investing in new programmes targeted at helping younger drivers get their licence and develop safe driving skills.

These proposals are seeking to:

•    make it easier for local government to review speed limits
•    improve the safety of vehicles entering the fleet
•    include a new focus on work-related road safety
•    prioritise road policing to tackle high risk behaviours
•    improve the safety of footpaths and cycleways.

Urban Traffic Control

Related Content

  • UK investment to make it easier and safer to get on your bike
    November 28, 2014
    UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has announced the UK Government’s biggest single investment in cycling, which includes US$179 million to secure funding to support the Cycling Ambition Cities Programme for the next three years in Bristol, Birmingham, Cambridge, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich and Oxford accelerate their development of local cycling networks, increase protection for cyclists at junctions and traffic hot spots and help prevent accidents. US$157 million will also be invested over t
    Read More
  • Copenhagen to showcase ITS in action at ITSWC 2018
    December 18, 2017
    As delegates head for the 2017 ITS World Congress in Montreal, we talk to Copenhagen mayor Morten Kabell about why his city is the ideal location for next year’s event. It may have been a long time coming but the ITS World Congress will be in Copenhagen in 2018 and there can be few more fitting places to host the event. By any number of metrics - interconnected transport, cycle commuting, safer streets, reduced pollution, sustainable energy and quality of life - the Danish capital has implemented what m
    Read More
  • Manchester seeks smart but not selective transport solutions
    January 25, 2018
    Smarter transport relies on better communications both with travellers and between transport providers. Andrew Williams reports. Inrix’s prediction that the cost of traffic congestion will rise by 63% to £21bn per year by 2030 clearly illustrates that, in addition to the ongoing inconvenience and inefficiency, ongoing gridlock is a significant drain on the economy. It is against this backdrop that a Cisco-led consortium has launched CitySpire, a smart transport programme that uses location-based services a
    Read More
  • Manchester seeks smart but not selective transport solutions
    January 25, 2018
    Smarter transport relies on better communications both with travellers and between transport providers. Andrew Williams reports. Inrix’s prediction that the cost of traffic congestion will rise by 63% to £21bn per year by 2030 clearly illustrates that, in addition to the ongoing inconvenience and inefficiency, ongoing gridlock is a significant drain on the economy. It is against this backdrop that a Cisco-led consortium has launched CitySpire, a smart transport programme that uses location-based services a
    Read More

Highlighted Content