Drivers caught from day one

Road policing Constable Kelvin Cox snaps a speeding driver doing 108km/h on the first day of a summer campaign that will last two months. The speed threshold has been reduced to 4km/h. Photo / John Stone

A vehicle towing a trailer was clocked doing 125km/h on a Northland highway during the first day of a police blitz on speeding motorists.

New Zealand police lowered their speed threshold after midnight on Tuesday and Northland officers were out on the roads seeing if motorists were adhering to the speed limit.

The threshold is now 4km/h over the posted speed limit and it seems some motorists on the region's roads are not up to speed on the limits, which will be enforced through until the end of January next year.

We just want them to slow down because it has a flow-on effect on lowering hospital rates and road trauma.

Inspector Wayne Ewers, acting road policing manager for Northland police

Acting road policing manager for Northland police Inspector Wayne Ewers said 33 infringement notices were issued on Tuesday which included 20 to drivers up to 10km/h over the limit, another nine tickets for those 11-15km/h over and four to motorists 16km/h over the posted limit.

One of those was a motorist towing a trailer who was 35km/h over the 90km/h limit for towing a trailer. They were stopped just south of Whangarei.

"The (standard open road) speed limit is 100km/h and that's what people should be travelling at. A lot of people know that we have a threshold that we don't ticket but the community have to be prepared to be stopped," he said.

Mr Ewers said some of the drivers stopped were aware of the summer campaign but many were not.

He was not surprised at the number of tickets issued on the first day.

"I don't want to see anyone getting an infringement. We just want them to slow down because it has a flow-on effect on lowering hospital rates and road trauma."

Highway patrol officers would be out on the roads and very visible at peak times and well-known crash spots across the region during the campaign.

There will also be a strong focus on impaired driving and other high-risk behaviour. Every driver stopped can expect to be breath-tested.

With December 1 also marking the one-year anniversary of legislation lowering the adult alcohol limit, police are encouraged that many drivers seem to be getting the message and deciding not to drive after drinking.

Nationally at the end of October 2015, there was almost two and a half thousand fewer drivers caught in the over 400micrograms/80milligrams bracket since the new legislation came in, compared with the same period the previous year.

Whangarei and Kaipara road safety education manager Gillian Archer supported the initiative and said it would make people focus on their speeds and keep to an appropriate and legal speed. "Speed is the number one risk factor in fatal and serious crashes in our district. It used to be alcohol but now it is speed."

The road toll for Northland stands at 19, equalling last year's final total. At the same time last year, 13 people had died on Northland roads.

"That's a disappointing total. We don't want any more trauma on our roads over summer."

Penalties for speeding

Speeding fines increase progressively from $30 for speeds less than 10km/h over the limit, to a maximum fine of $630 for speeds up to 50km/h over the limit.

At more than 40km/h above the speed limit, you could also get a 28-day licence suspension.

At more than 50km/h over the limit, you could be charged with careless, dangerous or reckless driving.

Fines: 10km/h or less $30; 11-15km/h $80; 16-20km/h $120; 21-25km/h $170; 26-30km/h $230; 31-35km/h $300; 36-40km/h $400; 41-45km/h $510; 46-50km/h $630.

Source: New Zealand Police