Police reveal ‘worst and most wild’ excuses for speeding

Eastern police district officers have been offered all sorts of excuses from motorists caught speeding but they don’t wash, particularly when they have to attend scenes like this. Police say speed is the single biggest factor in crashes . Whanganui Chronicle picture

When it comes to reasons for speeding, Eastern Police District highway patrol officers have heard it all.

From stuck jandals to stressed-out dogs, lead-footed motorists have used all sorts of excuses to get out of a speeding fine.

“Summer’s here and as part of our continued effort to remind drivers there is no excuse to speed, police are highlighting the worst and most wild excuses for speeding.

“In this police district officers stopped a driver for speeding and when asked why, they told the officer they were late for a tangi.

“Another driver told officers in Raupunga she ‘didn’t feel safe travelling through this area and wanted to get through as quickly as she could’.

“For one unlucky motorist the excuse was simple . . . ‘I didn’t see the speed sign — so I didn’t have any intention of speeding’.”

Eastern District road policing manager Inspector Angela Hallett, said while there was no excuse to speed, the reasons they heard daily were too funny not to share.

“But we hope people will realise there is a consequence to their actions.

“From ‘I thought the 90 sign meant that a safer speed for this road is 90 but you could still go 100 if you wanted’ to ‘I have to get to my friend’s place, my dog is stressing out’, our police have heard everything,” Inspector Hallett said.

“But there’s nothing funny about attending a death on our roads.

“Every opportunity we can take to reduce speeds, even by a fraction, has the potential to make a huge difference to safety on our roads.”

Inspector Hallett said officers heard the same old excuses from drivers when they were caught speeding, time and again.

“Excuses like ‘there isn’t a speed limit here’, ‘it’s a passing lane’, ‘you can go as fast as you like to overtake safely’, or ‘it’s not me, blame the car’,” she said.

But these people had not witnessed the horrific consequences of  a crash.

“In a crash, even when you’re not at fault, speed remains the single biggest factor in whether you and your passengers walk away or are carried away.

“It’s simple. Less speed means less harm. We want you to get to your destination, so slow down, drive to the speed limit and drive to the conditions.

“And know that you can expect to see police out on the roads anytime and anywhere.”