Deaths on Auckland roads increase by 120% as Govt commits to zero fatalities by 2050

Wednesday, 23 February 2022

The government's 'Road to Zero' road safety strategy 2020-2030 has been released for consultation. (First published July 2019)

New data shows deaths on Auckland's roads have more than doubled over the last year, as the Government announces a plan to reduce road fatalities to zero.

The latest statistics released by Auckland Transport (AT) showed for the 12 months ending in September 2021, all road deaths across the city increased by 121 per cent from 28 to 62.

This comes despite the region being in the midst of the most recent Covid-19 lockdown, where road usage significantly dropped during alert level 4.

Deaths and serious injuries (DSI) on all Auckland roads - including local and highways - increased by 19 percent to 620, AT’s annual monthly indicators report said.

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Deaths on Auckland’s roads have increased by more than 120 per cent.

DSI of vulnerable road users, which included pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, was also up, increasing by 4.2 per cent, to 270.

AT attributed the increase to lower police enforcement, alcohol and drug use, inappropriate speed, and lack of restraint.

On Wednesday, Transport Minister Michael Wood and Police Minister Poto Williams launched the ‘Road to Zero’ public awareness campaign, which sets a target of no road deaths and serious injuries by 2050.

Transport minister Michael Wood launched the Government’s Road to Zero initiative on Wednesday.

This included a 40 per cent reduction by 2030.

Wood said there should be “zero tolerance” for people being killed or seriously injured on New Zealand’s roads.

“We’re aiming for significant reductions in a relatively short space of time, and we’re targeting all aspects of the transport system to get there,” Wood said.

It would be achieved by investing in safer road infrastructure, getting more people into safer cars, reducing speed limits and refocusing on targeted and effective police enforcement, he said.

“There’s a huge amount of work being done, and we won’t get to zero deaths and serious injuries overnight, but by having zero as the goal and working towards it with a clear plan and a hard target for 2030, we can save thousands of lives, which is well worth fighting for.”

Williams said the Government had taken a renewed focus on the “vital role” of police enforcement to deter impaired driving and other unsafe behaviour.

More than $2 billion was being invested in the initiative over the next three years, including $1.2 billion for road policing, Poto said.

An independent review had also been commissioned to ensure road policing and safety infrastructure investments were “effectively prioritised, delivered, and monitored,” he said.