Last year 64 people died on Auckland’s roads and this week Auckland Transport has launched a campaign to get Aucklanders to slow down when driving.
Since 2014, there has been a 78 per cent increase in deaths and 68 per cent increase in serious injuries on Auckland’s roads – three times that of any other region in New Zealand.
The campaign features radio, cinema, social media, outdoor and bus ads, and shows the scale of the devastation wrought on whānau, friends and communities across Auckland.
Mayor Phil Goff says, “Many drivers have become desensitised to ads about speeding, so a new approach was needed. We need to show the magnitude of these tragedies so people understand that speed plays a role in a crash.”
“64 people died on our roads last year, but it’s more than a statistic. The human costs on top of the social and economic costs make it a huge and avoidable tragedy.
“Behind each of those 64 people who died on our roads are partners, kids, families and friends who are left to pick up the pieces as they adjust to life without the people they love.
“Safety is the key focus for Auckland Transport and the Government. We are investing $700 million over the next decade to make our roads safer and change the behaviour of Auckland drivers at high-risk locations across our transport network,” says Mayor Goff.
Of the 64 people that died on the roads last year, there were 26 drivers, 17 passengers, 9 pedestrians, 2 people on bikes and 10 motorcyclists.
Auckland Transport Chief Executive Shane Ellison says, “Safety is Auckland Transport’s number one priority, and to make real change on our roads, we need Aucklanders to fully understand the problems, and to join with us to fix them.
“In our cars we are taking more risks at intersections, running red lights and driving 4km to 8km over speed limits. Driving over the speed limit by just 4km automatically corresponds to a 16 per cent increase in deaths. I am committed to achieving 60 per cent less deaths and serious injuries by 2028, as an interim target to get us to zero.”
