Reports on traffic offences up in Bay

More people are dobbing in dangerous drivers.

An increased police presence on Bay of Plenty roads is credited with contributing to a 15 per cent jump in calls about traffic offences last financial year.

Police figures show the number of reports about traffic offending in the Bay of Plenty rose from 15,094 in the 2013/2014 financial year to 17,331 for the same period last year.

The data includes events reported by phone through the 111 emergency and *555 traffic lines or discovered by police. Events reported multiple times are recorded only once in the data.

Bay of Plenty district road policing manager Inspector Kevin Taylor said the Bay of Plenty had recorded the most fatalities of any police district in the country for the calendar year to date.

Police were addressing the issue by getting out and about in high-risk locations in an effort to encourage improved driver behaviour. Identifying more traffic offending went along with that, he said.

Police had focused their attention on targeting the types of vehicles most commonly stolen in the district.

New Zealand Transport Agency data shows 22 people have died on roads in the Bay of Plenty region this year. The policing district extends beyond the local government region.

Police figures showed reports of unauthorised street racing were up from 664 in 2013/2014 to 845 in the last financial year.

Mr Taylor said street racing was an area of police focus. It wasn't an issue in winter, but increased around Labour Weekend.

"Any reports of unauthorised street racing or boy-racer type behaviour, staff will attend to."

Data showed animals featured in 1019 reports of traffic events in the Bay of Plenty police district last financial year.

Mr Taylor said many *555 calls were about animals loose on the road. Animals on the road created a high risk and police took reports seriously.

However, often the matter would be resolved and the stock back in the paddock when police arrived, he said.

Overall, reported traffic-related events rose from just under 22,000 in the Bay of Plenty in the 2013/2014 financial year to just under 24,500 last financial year. There were more than 3000 collisions reported and more than 2000 road hazards.

Nationwide, the number of *555 calls increased by more than 42,000 last financial year with nearly 308,000 *555 calls received.

People can dial *555 free from a mobile phone to report road incidents which are urgent but not life-threatening. This includes non-injury crashes, erratic driving, traffic congestion, breakdowns and obstructions on the highway, according to police.

Police encouraged members of the public to come forward and report driving incidences, including road hazards, wandering stock, traffic offending and unauthorised street racing.