Northland road safety heroes turn out in force to raise awareness

A group of road safety heroes walked the Hātea Loop to raise awareness of road safety. Photo / Michael Cunningham

A group of local heroes have taken a 4km walk around the Hātea Loop to raise awareness about road safety.

More than 40 road safety heroes took part in the event yesterday morning as part of Road Safety Week, some wearing capes, high-vis vests and road cones on their heads.

The group also placed 32 crosses in grass at the town basin to represent the 32 people who died on Northland roads last year.

Ashley Johnston of the Northland Road Safety Trust said the walk was to raise awareness of what people can do to keep themselves and others safe on the roads.

"Road safety is everyone's responsibility and we all need to be heroes starting with wearing seatbelts, not speeding, drink driving, not driving with a cell phone, all those things."

The road safety heroes were various people who help to keep Northland's roads safer, Johnston said.

"The mob included people from emergency services right through to Fulton Hogan, all different people that assist in keeping our roads safer in Northland."

The walk was done by all the road safety heroes as a group to symbolise the need for people to work together to bring the road toll down, Johnston said.

The crosses were placed to give a visual representation of the lives that were lost, and one family of a person who died on the roads was present as the crosses were installed.

Northland's road toll for 2021 was initially 33, but was revised to 32 after one person was removed as the death was deemed a medical event.

Twelve people have died on Northland's roads so far this year.

Road Safety Week, which is organised by Brake and sponsored by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and Beca, runs until May 15.