Seventeen people lost their lives on Western Bay of Plenty roads last year. Photo / Getty Images
The number of people who died on Tauranga and Western of Bay roads in 2020 rose to 17 after a grim few months, recording the highest number of road deaths in the wider Bay of Plenty.
That's 17 families whose loved ones never made it home, despite police ramping up their enforcement measures and the Covid-19 lockdown being in force from March 25 to April 26.
This compared to 15 road fatalities from 13 crashes in 2019.
And already this year one person has died in another road fatality in the Western Bay of Plenty police district.
Kevin Erskine-Shaw, 46, of Hamilton, was killed on January 4 after a car and truck collided on State Highway 29 in the Lower Kaimai Range.
The exact cause of the crash is being investigated by the police Serious Crash Unit.
Of the 17 fatal crash victims last year, five died in the space of 43 days between July 14 and August 26, and another three within 26 days between October 27 and November 21.
This included Nathan Shanly, 47, who died on October 27 after a car and tractor collided on No 3 Rd in Te Puke.
Another person died on November 4 when a car and a logging truck collided on State Highway 36 in Oropi, and a motorbike rider died on November 21 after hitting a power pole in Matapihi Rd, Tauranga.
Police say alcohol and/or drugs were a factor in about a third of all fatal crashes.
It is also a factor in many serious-injury crashes, resulting in life-changing consequences for the victims and their families, Western Bay of Plenty road policing manager Senior Sergeant Rob Glencross said.
Glencross earlier said every road death was a tragedy, particularly when almost all road fatalities in his police district were preventable.
This was why police would continue to target high-risk behaviour on our roads, he said.
One of the 17 road deaths last year was still being investigated as a possible medical incident, Glencross said.
Bay of Plenty road policing manager Inspector Brent Crowe said ensuring people completed their journey safely sounded a simple enough task, but in 2020 there were 39 people across the region who died on the police district's roads.
The Bay of Plenty police district is broken down to four regions - Western Bay, Eastern Bay, Rotorua and Taupō.
"The Western Bay had the worst rate of road deaths with 17 people dying in 2020, followed by 12 in Taupō, six in the Eastern Bay and four in Rotorua," he said.
Crowe said safety messaging from police had been consistent over the years and were simple to understand.
"Drive at an appropriate speed, focus on your driving and drive free from the effects of alcohol, drugs or lack of sleep. Always wear a seatbelt and ensure children have one appropriate to their age."
He said with warmer weather inspiring more motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians to be out and about, drivers must be considerate of these road users too.
"Given the warmer weather, some motorcyclists may choose to discard some of their protective gear. However, we strongly advise all motorcyclists to wear helmets, gloves, boots and robust protective clothing as skin is very hard to replace."
Crowe said the Bay of Plenty region also had its share of roadworks over the summer.
"Those who work on these sites rightly have an expectation of going home unharmed. People need to drop their speeds when directed and take extra care around those sites."
Crowe urged anyone who witnessed any unsafe or dangerous driving to contact the police immediately so action can be taken to prevent a crash or any harm.
Road safety advocate Caroline Perry, director of Brake New Zealand, also pleaded with motorists to concentrate fully on their driving and not take any risks.
"This included drivers putting away their mobile phone and making sure everyone in their vehicle wears a seatbelt, which can save your life," she said.
More than 1700 people were fined for not wearing seatbelts in the Western Bay of Plenty police district last year, and more than 600 pinged for flouting the cellphone ban.
Nationally, the provisional road toll for 2020 stands at 320.
17 people died in 2020 on Western Bay roads
February 5: Sue Walmsley, 64, of Tauranga died on February 8 after a three-vehicle rear-end crash on the Tauranga Eastern Link.
February 6: Peter Andrew Te Rangi, 56, of Te Puke died in a crash at the intersection of No 3 Rd and MacLoughlin Dr in Te Puke.
March 11: Kevin Wharehinga and D Kissling died after two cars collided on SH33 near Paengaroa.
March 25: Lisa-Marie Kuku, 24, died after a two-vehicle crash on SH2 near Aongatete.
May 18: Corey William King, 49, of Tauranga died in a two-vehicle crash on Koromiko St, Judea.
May 28: Cyclist Graeme Shallcrass, 62, formerly of Te Puke, died a crash in Totara St, Tauranga.
June 3: Jamie Fowler, 23, of Tauranga died after his car hit a stock truck on SH29 near McLaren Falls.
July 4: A child died after being hit by a car in a driveway in Carlton St, Tauranga.
July 14: Valerie Veda Hemingway, 86, of Tauranga died in Cameron Rd, Tauranga after being run over by her own vehicle.
July 16: A 40-year-old died after a car and truck collided on SH36.
August 23: Tauranga father Selesele Vaetasi Mati Asiata, 36, died in a crash on SH2 near the Sandhurst Dr onramp.
September 19: Harrison Watts, 22, of Tauranga died after a car hit a bank in Oropi Rd.
October 11: Susan Margaret Smith, 64, of Tauranga died in Tauranga Hospital after a crash on Ohauiti Rd, which involved a dog.
October 27: Nathan Shanly, 47, died after a car and tractor collided on No 3 Rd in Te Puke.
November 4: One person died after a car and a logging truck collided on SH36 in Oropi.
November 21: A motorcyclist died after hitting a power pole in Matapihi Rd in Tauranga.
Western Bay of Plenty District could have fewer councillors to vote for next election.