New strategy aims to reduce number of road deaths by 40 per cent

Tuesday, 16 July 2019

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

A strategy to reduce the road toll to a number not seen since 1949 has been released today.

The government's 'Road to Zero' 2020-2030 road safety strategy consultation document outlines how it aims to reduce deaths and serious injuries on our roads by 40 per cent by 2030.

Released for consultation today, it replaces the 'Safer Journeys' 2010-2020 strategy which didn't include a target and had no impact on reducing the road toll over the decade, with the number of deaths and injuries increasing at a far faster rate than can be explained by traffic growth.

The new strategy acknowledges its predecessor was not implemented as intended, due to a lack of buy-in, investment and leadership, and the new strategy was based on Vision Zero, a global movement that had seen dramatic decreases in road tolls in the nations, cities and states that had adopted it.

The site of a multi-fatality crash on State Highway 3, near Waverley, South Taranaki on June 27, 2018. Seven people lost their lives as a result of the crash. The new road strategy has a target of reducing death and serious injuries on the roads by 40 per cent by 2030, from 2018 figures (377 deaths and 2598 serious injuries). File photo.

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In 2010, there were 375 deaths. By 2013, the figures had dipped to 254 deaths, but by last year there were 377 deaths, just one less than 2017. So far this year there have been 206 deaths.

*** Vision Zero: Towards a revolutionary approach to lowering the terrible toll on our roads

Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter says 'too many New Zealanders have lost their lives or been seriously injured in crashes that could have been prevented by road safety upgrades”.

* Vision Zero: bring on the roundabouts please

* We can reduce the road toll by copying Sweden

* Vision Zero provides best path to safety**

Vision Zero does not mean 'zero crashes'.

Instead, it is a concept that deaths or serious injuries should never be regarded as an acceptable toll of mobility.

'Traditionally we have focussed most of our efforts to achieve safe roads on trying to improve driving skills, and addressing risk-taking behaviours. While this is important, it will not solve the road safety problem by itself. No one expects to crash, but people make mistakes - including those of us who are usually careful and responsible drivers,' the strategy states.

Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter said she felt people were 'ready to see action'.

'The thing now will be ensuring that the public have their opportunity to have a say, and then we can get on with it,' she said.

The target had been arrived at following 'extensive modelling'.

'We understand what we need to do in terms of enforcement, infrastructure and speed management in order to achieve the target we put in place.'

Genter said progress toward the target would be monitored each year.

'Other countries that have adopted this approach have made sustained progress in significant reductions in deaths and serious injuries. The progress can't always be seen year to year, but over an extended period of time you can certainly see a big reduction.'

Enforcement is being tackled through a review of penalties, with consultation on proposed changes likely to occur later this year.

Vision Zero does not mean 'zero crashes'. Instead, it is a concept that zero deaths and serious injuries are an acceptable cost of mobility.

The strategy has a target of reducing death and serious injuries on the roads by 40 per cent by 2030, from 2018 figures (377 deaths and 2598 serious injuries).

That would mean the road toll in 2030 would be 226. The last time we had a lower road toll was 1949 (218).

It would also see 750 fewer people killed and 5600 fewer people would suffer serious injuries over the 10 years.

The lower toll will be achieved through investment in infrastructure such as median barriers and rumble strips, improved enforcement, setting lower safety speeds in some areas, improving vehicle safety and 'tackling risk taking on our roads'.

The strategy states that about 87 per cent of current speed limits are unsuitable and reducing these was a priority, with rule changes likely next year.

Safety improvements were underway as part of the $1.3 billion Safe Networks Programme announced last year, and the strategy points to more median barriers and roundabouts being included in the 2021-24 land transport programme.

The strategy will aim to lift minimum standards for new and used vehicles coming into the country, review the warrants of fitness system, and promoting the 'scrappage of less safe vehicles'.

Enforcement is being tackled through a review of penalties, with consultation on proposed changes likely to occur later this year.

Success on five focus areas (infrastructure and speed, vehicles, workplace, road user choices and system management) will be monitored as part of the strategy.

The document will be available on the Ministry of Transport website, and public submissions can be made between now and August 14.