2013 lowest road toll in 60 years

  • Michael Woodhouse
Transport

The provisional road toll for 2013 of 254 is the lowest in the last 60 years, Associate Transport Minister Michael Woodhouse announced today. This compares with 308 in 2012, 284 in 2011, and 375 in 2010.

“The 2013 road toll was 34 per cent lower than four years ago and it’s particularly pleasing that 15-24 year olds have seen a significant drop with a 37 per cent lower road toll than in 2009,” Mr Woodhouse says.

“While the number of cars on the roads has increased significantly, our annual road toll has now more than halved from 20 years ago, when 600 New Zealanders a year were killed on the roads.

“In fact, the provisional road toll for 2013 is 1/6 the rate of the lowest road toll from 60 years ago when measured on a kilometres travelled basis.”

The National Government launched the Safer Journeys Road Safety Strategy in 2010, and has introduced a number of road safety measures including:

  • increased the driving age to 16
  • a zero blood alcohol level for drivers under 20 and repeat offenders
  • strengthened driving licence testing to raise the standard and help keep young drivers safer
  • fixed the give way rule
  • introduced alcohol interlocks for repeat offenders
  • increased the age for child restraints up to seven years
  • introduced legislation to lower the blood alcohol level
  • continued to support high profile road safety advertising campaigns

Provisional data for 2013 indicates that alcohol and/or drugs was a factor in 30 per cent of fatal crashes, compared with 31 per cent in 2012. Speed was a factor in 32 per cent of fatal crashes, compared with 25 per cent in 2012.

“The government and road safety partners will maintain our focus on the causes of crashes as we continue working toward our goal of a safe road system increasingly free of death and serious injury.

“Although the 2013 toll is the lowest on record, too many families lost their loved ones on our roads last year, while many others have had their lives changed forever,” Mr Woodhouse says.

“The summer holidays are not over so it’s important that we all continue to use the road safely.”