This year's road toll so far is nearly on a par with the same period in 2017.
Fatal crashes on an unforgiving stretch of highway between Tauranga and Katikati were nearly all caused by driver error, says a senior police officer.
''People say it is a killer highway. It is not the highway but the people driving it. It is close to 100 per cent driver fault,'' said Western Bay of Plenty head of road policing, Acting Senior Sergeant Wayne Hunter.
Three people have died in three crashes on State Highway 2 since December 3 last year: one at the intersection with Quarry Rd and two at Apata.
Distracted drivers and people making mistakes and wrong decisions were responsible for the crashes, Hunter told yesterday's meeting of the Joint Road Safety Committee, which comprises representatives of Western Bay's councils, the police and other organisations with interests in road safety.
Hunter said that because the road was so busy, when decisions went wrong there was more chance of hitting traffic coming the other way.
The highway was recently patrolled from 7.30am to 9pm and officers struggled to identify speed as an issue, as few speeding tickets were issued, he said.
Serious crash on SH2 near the Omokoroa turnoff. Photo/Andrew Warner
Hunter's comment that there were a lot of intersection crashes was taken up by committee chairwoman and Western Bay councillor Margaret Murray-Benge, who highlighted the dangerous design of the Omokoroa intersection for drivers trying to turn right towards Katikati.
''That intersection is way overdue for an upgrade. It is the intersections that cause us real trouble.''
She ranked the SH29/Belk Rd intersection as being equally dangerous. ''You have got to get them up the ladder and get them done.
''As chairman of this committee, I would say that the designs of our intersections are fundamental to road safety, and it is not happening.''
Tauranga councillor Bill Grainger said that judging by Facebook comments, Omokoroa residents were taking matters into their own hands.
Regional councillor Andrew von Dadelszen said SH2 was a disgrace and it was a killer highway.
''It is our worst road. We should be pushing harder to get investment now.''
Adam Francis from the NZ Transport Agency said four-laning Omokoroa to Te Puna would not happen overnight. The two- to three-year process to get all the consents started at the end of last year.
It would join the planned Northern Link at Loop Rd, Te Puna. Construction of the link to Tauranga's Route K was due to start in 2021.
Francis said four-laning from Omokoroa to Katikati was still ''a fair way away'' so they were doing safety improvements in the short term. Changes around the Omokoroa intersection aimed to slow down traffic and make it easier for people to get in and out.
The Western Bay of Plenty head of road policing, Acting Senior Sergeant Wayne Hunter ,checks vehicle speeds. Photo / File
He detailed how similar speed-reduction measures would start next week at the Plummers Point Rd and Barrets Rd intersections and the Snodgrass Rd and Te Puna Rd intersections.
There would also be a speed-limit review between Tauranga and Katikati.
Francis said average speeds were lower than the speed limit. The average speed from Katikati to Omokoroa was between 80 and 85km/h. Authorities needed to look at other road treatments as well as speed limits.
Projects costing less than $1m being considered for NZTA funding in 2018-19
SH29/Poripori Rd intersection improvements: Design right turn (1st priority). SH2/Pongokawa Station Rd and Wharere Rd: Right turns and median extended to BP service station (2nd priority) SH2 Snodgrass Rd to Te Puna: Speed limit changes. SH2 Te Puna to Bethlehem: Speed limit changes. SH29 Tauriko: Speed management improvements.
