Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Statement attributable to Senior Sergeant Ian Temple Acting District Road Policing Manager
Southern District Police are warning motorists to take extra care on the roads with a bad batch of weather on the horizon.
Rain, wind and snow is forecast across the Southern District over the coming days and will affect driving conditions.
Poor weather reduces visibility and increases stopping distances, so remember to watch your following distances when in traffic and slow your speed.
Officers are aware of several recent crashes and near-misses involving drivers travelling at dangerously high-speeds, creating enormous risk to themselves, their passengers and other road users.
This week alone, emergency services have received around 30 calls reporting vehicle collisions across the district, three of which included serious crashes.
Police remind all drivers to drive to the conditions, stay within the speed limit, make sure everyone is wearing their seatbelt, put the phone down and drive sober to arrive alive.
Police officers are often the first at the scene of a serious crash, and see first-hand the horrendous injuries and harm caused by unsafe driving behaviour.
We are doing our part to prevent injury and death on our roads, but every single driver needs to play their part as well.
Keep safe on the roads by:
- Slowing down and buckling up
- Driving to the conditions
- Planning your journey
- Keeping a safe following distance
- Staying patient on the roads and allowing extra time to get where you are going
- Turning your headlights on when visibility is poor
- Before you get behind the wheel make sure you are well rested, have eaten and hydrated.
Police want everyone on the roads to get home safely, so remember to drive carefully and stay patient
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
