Editorial: Roads are dangerous for tourists

Driving along New Zealand's state highways for the first time can be a nerve-wracking experience.

Not only do you often have adverse weather conditions to deal with, but the twists and turns along mountain passes can make it even trickier. If you add in the logging truck that also always seems to end up right behind you, then it is a recipe for disaster,

The state highways also seem to be quite narrow in parts and distances can be deceiving for tourists.

Take the Auckland to Napier trip - If you did not know the topography of the land you would think a distance of 425km would take you no more than four-and-a-half hours if you travelled at 100km/h.

The reality is that if you add in a couple of much-needed bathroom breaks, you are looking at a six-hour trip.

The horrific accident that claimed the lives of three young Boston University students near Rangipo, 10km south of Turangi, has the hallmarks of tourists in unfamiliar conditions.

Police are still investigating the accident in which Daniela Rosanna Lekhno, 20, Roch Jauberty, 21, and Austin Brashears, 21, died after being thrown from a van which left State Highway 46 yesterday and rolled three times.

The van was travelling in convoy with another people mover at about 7.30am on Saturday, heading to Tongariro Crossing where the students intended to tramp.

But as they approached the turn-off to the walk entrance on SH 47 near Turangi, the driver of the second vehicle drifted into gravel on the side of the road and lost control.

Police say that the driver "over-corrected" by pulling the steering wheel too hard, and the vehicle, with eight people on board, flipped more than three times, flinging two passengers to their deaths.

One more died inside the van while the holiday possessions - cameras, backpacks and iPhones - were strewn along the road.

Indications are that some of the occupants were not wearing seatbelts, which - if true - is just crazy on our winding roads.

Over the years there have been numerous tourists killed and injured in accidents here. Many of them, especially from the United States, are probably taken by surprise by New Zealand's roads.

They are accustomed to wide, straight roads that are relatively safe. About a year ago I travelled to the United States and part of the visit involved a cross-country road trip from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. It was a long trip but very comfortable along straight roads through the desert.

It is a culture shock when you get here and have to navigate small roads that sometimes double back on themselves. I remember being fairly stressed out driving down country soon after I arrived in New Zealand a decade ago.

In the Free State province of South Africa, the road is so straight and so wide that some motorists have been known to travel at speeds of 140km/h. This is illegal, of course, and not to be condoned, but that stretch of road is probably one of the safest in the country.

In New Zealand the roads themselves are normally in very good condition, but it is a combination of all other factors that makes 100 per cent concentration a requirement.

One can't fault the authorities for making sure the road safety message gets out there. We have all seen the graphic adverts on television and most of us who live here know about driving to the conditions and so forth.

It is up to tourists themselves, and the car/van hire firms, to ensure that any trip undertaken by tourists is done with sufficient knowledge of the road conditions.

Tourists need to realise that this is not the Californian coast where you can cruise along the Pacific Highway.

We also need to set an example by driving to the conditions and speed limit. If we show ourselves to be tolerant, safe drivers, maybe we can teach foreigners how to drive through our beautiful country.