As the year comes to a close and our road toll reaches another record high, it's timely to remember the dangers fellow drivers pose on our roads.
Dashcam footage has caught some of the worst drivers across the country, revealing the shocking displays of poor driving that have been posted online:
Plumbing ute
Frightening dashcam footage captured the moment a South Island driver performed a foolhardy overtake in a company ute.
The video shows the perilous driving, while he and a handful of mates were travelling through Ahaura in September.
Near miss on State Highway
Footage of a near head-on smash went viral in August and showed a woman driving on State Highway 3, near Whanganui, when she had to avoid a turning car with no regard for on-coming traffic.
A day in the life of a truckie
Christchurch-based trucker Jess Johns captured and shared dashcam footage on YouTube of near-miss accidents from the comfort of her 58-tonne vehicle.
Otago truck
Another case of dangerous driving was filmed over the long weekend - a trailer truck on a State Highway near Dunedin was caught driving on the other side of the road, where cars can be seen oncoming just moments before.
Auckland motorway
A truck powerfully rear-ended a vehicle on the Auckland motorway in March, before taking off. Unluckily for the getaway driver, the whole thing was caught on camera.
'Driver licence not a licence to be an idiot' - police
National road policing manager Superintendent Steve Greally says drivers need to be sensible behind the wheel.
"They're such basic mistakes that some people are making," he told Newshub.
"Each time you get in the car, just stop - even just for a couple of seconds - and think to yourself, 'I'm going to make sure I'm as safe as I can possibly be'.
"'I'm not going to drive drunk. I am going to put my belt on. My kids will have their belts on. We won't be speeding. We're not going to take unnecessary risks'."
He warns drivers need to be careful and aware, especially coming into the summer months, when more cars will be on our roads.
Sometimes, it's completely innocent parties who pay the ultimate price, he says.
"I don't know what it means to some people when you get your driver licence, but it's certainly not a licence to be an idiot on our roads."
Newshub.
