Seven deaths on New Zealand roads in three days
Thursday, 30 August 2018
It's been a black week on New Zealand's roads with seven deaths in three days and police are calling on drivers to take responsibility for their actions.
In Taranaki there have been two deaths in less than 24 hours, while three other people remain in hospital following a high speed car crash into a concrete wall in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
A 22-year-old male, who was a backseat passenger in the car that hit the wall at the intersection of Nobs Line and Devon St East, died at Taranaki Base Hospital on Wednesday afternoon as a result of the injuries he received.
A 16-year-old male was taken to Wellington Hospital on Wednesday in a critical condition, while a 17-year-old female and 30-year-old male remain in a stable condition at Taranaki Base Hospital.
**READ MORE:
* Fatal crash on Piako Rd in the Waikato
* One killed, four injured in crash near 'dangerous' Mt Cook intersection
* Firefighters cut occupants free from wreckage after car hits concrete wall
* Woman killed, man arrested after fatal two-car crash north of New Plymouth
* Teenager killed in crash a 'shining light' to all, family say**
On Tuesday morning an 18-year-old Waitara woman died when a driver crossed the centreline and crashed into her car on SH3 just south of Waitara. A 37-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with her death.
The two deaths bring the region's road toll to 12 for 2018, already exceeding the total of eight for 2017.
Sergeant Bruce Irvine said the two separate crashes were both equally tragic and called on drivers to take responsibility for their actions.
'On the face of it both are attributable to driver behaviour, people have to take responsibility for their driving,' Irvine said.
Both crashes were being investigated by the police Serious Crash Unit but excessive speed was believed to be a major factor in Wednesday morning's crash, he said.
'Obviously the inquiry will establish that, one way or another, but clearly he has failed to take a corner and then hit that wall with such force that it has caused the damage that bit has so the vehicle has obviously been travelling at speed.
Irvine said almost all crashes to some degree were attributable to driver behaviour.
'When a vehicle collides with something else that means the driver hasn't done what they are meant to do which is steer the vehicle safely. It's a responsibility that you have as a driver to ensure that vehicle travels safely on our roads.
'It's those simple rules, wear your seatbelt, drive to the conditions, obey the speed limit and concentrate on what you are doing.'
In 2018 246 people have been killed on New Zealand's roads and Irvine said too many people were dying on the country's roads.
'A lot of them are preventable because it's driver behaviour.
'Our goal is zero road deaths and zero injuries but we are realistic enough to know that we probably will never achieve that but that's what we want and I'm sure that's what the rest of the community wants.'
On Tuesday 18-year-old Olivia Renee Keightley-Trigg died just south of Waitara. On Wednesday five people were killed on the country's roads, one each in Taranaki, Wellington, West Auckland, South Canterbury and Tolaga Bay. On Thursday morning another person was killed in a crash involving a car and truck near Morrinsville, in Waikato.
Following the five deaths on Wednesday police made an appeal to the public via Facebook for Kiwis to reflect on the lives lost and how easily those people could still have their family members with them.
'We're asking everyone who reads this post to take 5 minutes out of their day to think about their driving.
'What needs improving? What needs changing? What can you do to be a safer driver? It could be a small change or a big one. But please have a long, hard think about how you behave behind the wheel because changing your driving could change a life. We've got to stop destroying families.'