As Queen's Birthday weekend approaches, authorities are pleading with New Zealanders to drive safely and prevent catastrophic crashes on our roads.
The road toll for 2021 currently stands at 137, eight of which were children.
Chris Pelosi, a traffic crash analyst, is among those urging Kiwis to be safe when in the driver's seat this long weekend.
He says his work "lives with him".
"It's a large amount of pressure - but as a driver, it's your responsibility to drive safely because your actions affect other people. You have to drive to the conditions."
Pelosi says speed determines how bad a crash is, but other factors like drugs and alcohol are common in the worst collisions.
Sergeant Bill Nicholson told The Project that staying sober and staying focused on the road are crucial - but motorists should make sure they're alert before getting behind the wheel.
"Plan your trip well in advance, take regular rest stops, drive fresh and share the driving," he said.
He added that motorists should be patient and maintain a good following distance.
"There's a lot of traffic and people get frustrated, especially with slow drivers."
For Pelosi, he has one wish.
"Put me out of a job - don't crash."
In a statement on Thursday, the New Zealand Transport Agency put out its top tips for driving safely this winter.
- check weather and travel conditions before you start your trip and on breaks throughout your journey - use journeys.nzta.govt.nz. If extreme weather or treacherous road conditions are forecast, consider whether you really need to travel
- call 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)
- ensure your car is safe and equipped: spare tyre, warrant of fitness up-to-date, lights, brakes and wind-wipers all working, clean windscreen inside and out, check tyre treads to ensure good grip
- if you are travelling long distances, share the driving and have regular breaks
- wear your seat belt throughout the journey and check your passengers have theirs clicked in too
- driving on roads that are exposed to snow and ice can be treacherous, so slow down and drive to the conditions, not the maximum legal speed limit. Increase the following distance between you and the vehicle ahead
- be prepared when travelling in case of delays on the road, particularly in alpine conditions. Make sure you have warm clothes/food/water/charged mobile phone. In an emergency, phone 111. Bear in mind some parts of our highways have no cell coverage
- learn about winter driving, including how to get your vehicle ready and if you are driving in an area where chains may be needed, practise putting them on before you go so you are not caught out.
Watch the full interview above.
