The Associate Transport Minister has called officials to a crisis meeting over the road toll.
It’s passed a grim milestone – 328 dead on our roads so far this year. That’s the same number that died in the whole of last year, and there are still 43 days to go.
This year more than one person a day has died on our roads, and we’re heading for our highest road toll since 2010.
“It’s not acceptable that people should die when they’re just going about their lives,” says Associate Transport Minister Julie-Anne Genter.
Ms Genter has called together officials from the police, the Ministry of Transport and the NZTA for an urgent meeting on Tuesday.
“I’ve asked officials for an immediate briefing on what can be done in a short period of time and they’ve indicated a few areas, so we’ll be exploring those and implementing whatever’s going to be most effective to save lives.”
Ministry of Transport: Annual road toll historical information
Road toll peaks approximately each decade:
- 1921: 69
- 1930: 246
- 1939: 246
- 1951: 292
- 1961: 393
- 1973: 843
- 1982: 673
- 1990: 729
- 2000: 462
- 2009: 384
- 2013: 253 (low)
- 2016: 318
Trends also of interest:
It appears that congestion is pushing the toll back up.
It doesn’t appear to be a crisis, yet, but it should be cause for concern.
Your NZ 
Alan Wilkinson
/ 20th November 2017Too many crap drivers on crap roads. Need a clean out at the top of LTNZ. Also better vetting of tourist licences.
-D
/ 20th November 2017Couldn’t someone please publish this year’s road-toll statistics classified by primary contributing factor so we can see accurately what we’re up against? Surely such a breakdown exists somewhere already.
traveller
/ 20th November 2017No, lets rather have a self promoting American proselytising. Can’t imagine why you’d ant sensible stats.
traveller
/ 20th November 2017want
robertguyton
/ 20th November 2017Traveller, you appear to despise Left wing women, especially those who are attractive – fair observation, yes?
phantom snowflake
/ 20th November 2017“those who are attractive”. Who woulda thunk you would buy into conventional ideas of beauty and attractiveness? How progressive of you Robert LOL
robertguyton
/ 20th November 2017phantom – “attractive” isn’t a rating, it’s a description: if someone attracts, say, positive comments or admiring remarks about their appearance or manner, then they are attractive. I’ve not bought into those ideas, my comment is dispassionate. You probably could describe it as progressive, as you suggest.
phantom snowflake
/ 20th November 2017Sorry Robert. I should probably stick to posting music videos…
Trevors_elbow
/ 20th November 2017Messenger attack. Is that all you have?
robertguyton
/ 20th November 2017I have much more than that, Trevor. In any case, my question has gone unanswered, being , I suppose, awkward.
robertguyton
/ 20th November 2017Xenophobic much?
Kitty Catkin
/ 20th November 2017Ms G came across as smug and self-righteous on the news; especially when she pushed off on her bicycle.
I had heard before that there were more deaths per capita in the 30s-no seatbelts, heavier cars that made the occupants take the impact. There were as near as dammit the same then as in 2013, and I wish that I knew what the population was in 1930.
I wouldn’t call it a crisis, either. But it’s still too many. Why was 1990 so bad ?
We once went past a fatal accident-there were enough people helping, so we didn’t stop, just got out of their way-and I still remember the horror of seeing someone picking a severed leg, still with its boot on, off the road and carrying it to the side. That person would have had nightmares forever, I think.
Patzcuaro
/ 20th November 2017It would be interesting to see road toll compared to economic prosperity, the more money young males have the more cars and fuel they can buy. More young males on the road would place upward pressure on road toll.
Looks like the road toll was low during the 1940s while males were at war and fuel short. It also peaked in 1973 which coincides with the UK joining the Common Market.
Alan Wilkinson
/ 20th November 2017That’s a well tested correlation, Patz. Toll goes down in recessions, up in boom times.
High Flying Duck
/ 20th November 2017Looks like the 40-59yr age group has had the biggest jump:
Kitty Catkin
/ 20th November 2017During the war petrol was severely rationed and many cars were put away ‘for the duration’ in the UK, so it was probably the same here, which would inevitably lower the toll.One can’t really count those years, as we would have to know just how much less cars were being used and how much less petrol people had. I don’t believe that having men away had much to do with it.
Kitty Catkin
/ 20th November 20171,600,000 people, 140,000 servicemen and women-mainly men. So less than 10% of the population, even if it was a very high % of men of that age who went to fight.
I didn’t mean how many <i. fewer cars were being used, of course, I meant how much less use cars had.
Kitty Catkin
/ 20th November 2017fewer
Trevors_elbow
/ 20th November 2017What is the rolling 12 month average? Is that the trend graph?
We have an upward blip…. I’m sure we have had them before, but its a Crisis!!! TINO positioning one suspects to cut spending on Roads of National Significance….
JAG will suggest more trains and cycling lanes are the answer… 95% confidence rating
Im probably a little cynical but this smells like a nice little campaign unfolding ….to stop major road building which would support economic growth so the Greens can fund their pet projects
I wonder if the Greens have the balls to go after Transmission Gully? They hated Wellington having better access… well at least Sue from O Bay did….
Gezza
/ 20th November 2017No, they wouldn’t dare stop Transmission Gully Trev. The work’s far too advanced. There’d be hell to pay.
artcroft
/ 20th November 2017I’d not be surprised to hear the Greens declare the answer is less roads and more rail.
robertguyton
/ 20th November 2017Something unexpected, from Left-field.
Trevors_elbow
/ 20th November 2017Something out of the state control hand book from the Greens who would have dreamed that would be the case???!!!???
Kitty Catkin
/ 20th November 2017Less roads ? Fewer roads, surely.
Corky
/ 20th November 2017Increased population. Increased ageing vehicle fleet. More distracted drivers( social media). Law of diminishing returns. More deaths. The road toll will continue to climb. Simple stats.
Gezza
/ 20th November 2017Given that it’s [deleted] Julie who’s demanding action & she’s a full on SJW I’m getting a bit nervous the speed limit might be dropped to 50kph …
Gezza
/ 20th November 2017Must have a look later for any maps of “black spots”. Too many of our roads are way too short of what they should be in design & capacity given the speeds cars can go nowadays. Trips from Welly to New P,ymouth are still a pain because after Wanganui you run into Fonterra milk tankers with trailer tanks going up hills, with nowhere to pass, for kilometres, & lots of curving roads. Frustration drives people to pass on bridges & underestimate distance to pass etc. Once when I tried to pull into a passing lane to boot it to get past two of the damn things, I couldn’t because one of them pulled out to pass the other! And didn’t bloody make it!
Kitty Catkin
/ 20th November 2017That’s an excuse. If you can see that a road is unsuitable for high speeds, don’t go at high speed. The roads can’t all be remade so that leadfoots can use them as speedways. Make the speed suit the road,don’t expect the roads to be remade at an astronomical cost to suit the speed.
Gezza
/ 20th November 2017Well, I agree Kitty but it’s a main highway artery, traffic has increased, milk tankers have increased many people are travelling long distances at the speed limit, patiently slowing down & waiting for a too few, too short passing lane to pass the odd Ma or Pa Kettle or Tractor that toddle out of a side road & putter on down to the next little farming town or village, & then they run into a seies of ruddy great milk tankers & trailers slowing everybody right down up going up hills as traffic backs up – there’s always the first two or three cars desperate to get in front of them at the very next passing lane, & one or more frustrated aholes 6 cars back that’s frustrated or late or whatever who pulls out too & is suddenly alongside everybody else who was about to try & pass, going like the clappers …
artcroft
/ 20th November 2017Cutting the open road speed limit and issuing more tickets would a great way to bring the govt’s poll numbers down.
Corky
/ 20th November 2017Yep, like a slinger on his knees with a hole where his liver used to be. A fatal condition, Arty.
Kitty Catkin
/ 20th November 2017Undertakers wait for overtakers.
David
/ 20th November 2017In the last 3 months I have holidayed in England, Hong Kong and Macau and to be perfectly honest Christchurch drivers are just rubbish. We as a country are rubbish drivers, rude, discourteous, too competitive, unable to maintain a constant speed.
And 7 years after the quakes Christchurch roads are 3rd world and a disgrace yet we are spending 150 million on bike paths that few use. We need a change of government 🙂
robertguyton
/ 20th November 2017“We needed a change of Government, and, thank you, lucky stars (and Winston) we got one. Bike paths! Whose dopey idea was that ?
David
/ 20th November 2017Christchurch councils decision, infested with greenies and run by a lefty.
robertguyton
/ 20th November 2017Weren’t cycleways John Key’s legacy?
Or did he not create any at all?
traveller
/ 20th November 20172500 km in 6 years. Surely as a Green you’re familiar with this well-used tourist initiative.
Unbelievable that you aren’t
robertguyton
/ 20th November 2017Key was a greenie Lefty, David?
Gezza
/ 20th November 2017The National Cycleway passes through Tawa & on up to Porirua alongside the stream. You’d be lucky to see a touring cyclist a day. Great for strolling & dog walking for us locals though. It’s a scenic route.
High Flying Duck
/ 20th November 2017It would be interesting seeing the ethnic make up of the toll as well.
With strong immigration in the last few years there are probably a large cohort of drivers unfamiliar with NZ roads and road rules.
We hear of the tourist issues with causing accidents, but new residents are probably also a factor.
NZ Roads are also a huge issue with terrible cambers and alignments.
I believe there has not been a fatality on any of the RONS to date – proper roads built with proper safety.
Gezza
/ 20th November 2017Welly’s new Expressway is a joy to drive.
Gezza
/ 20th November 2017Until it suddenly bloody disappears at Waikanae & you think you must be in Uganda now!
dave1924
/ 20th November 2017Be very nice IF it gets extended right through the Horowhenua and is joined to a completed Transmission Gully…. will make the travel so much easier in and out of Wellington
Westie Bob
/ 20th November 2017A better correlation would be number of wet days/nights to road deaths. Ask panel beaters when the accidents happen.
alloytoo
/ 20th November 2017Historically all opposition MP’s had to do in the past was declare a crisis and issues would resolve themselves.
I will be interesting to see if they realize that they have to do a little more now that they are actually responsible.
alloytoo
/ 20th November 2017I used to work for an Auto dealership, the parts manager used to rub his hands together when the rain hit, in anticipation of the panel orders he would receive the next morning.
Kitty Catkin
/ 20th November 2017What a vile man he sounds. How could he be glad that people were being injured and killed just because he was making money out of this ? Bad kharma.
Alloytoo
/ 20th November 2017A panel repair usually meant our customer survived
Kitty Catkin
/ 20th November 2017What about the ones who were injured ?
I am surprised that he didn’t rush to crash scenes and hand out business cards.