Rewards for good drivers in region

Gillian Archer says as part of a road safety campaign good drivers will be rewarded. Photo / File

Northland drivers who stick to the speed limit will be rewarded in a road-safety campaign that is a first for New Zealand and aimed at encouraging motorists to slow down.

While police will be dishing out tickets to speedsters during the campaign, those who are driving within the posted speed limits and to the conditions will have the chance to win grocery vouchers.

Whangarei Police, Whangarei District Council, Northland Regional Council and Roadsafe Northland are rolling out the Safe Speed Drivers Project next month and it will run for five weeks.

Roadsafe Northland education manager Gillian Archer said speed was a factor in eight out of every 10 crashes. Mrs Archer said the novel approach to reward safe drivers came out of a discussion with major road safety partners.

"We hope this will achieve an overall reduction in speed by trying to get those who were speeding to focus on the posted limits," she said.

"The police are going to be ticketing those over the speed limit, but they will be recording safe drivers who will go into a weekly draw to win."

Suitable high-risk areas for speeding and speed-related crashes will be determined by police.

Police will be in an unmarked patrol vehicle and will decide on the day where they will be located in the Whangarei and Kaipara areas. The campaign will cover highways and roads around Whangarei city.

Police will be taking volunteers - 60 will be organised by Roadsafe Northland - with them on the road and they will be required to record the registration numbers of the vehicles that have driven safely.

"This is an opportunity to accompany a police officer in action and observe driving behaviours through their eyes," Mrs Archer said of the volunteers.

Winners will be announced weekly and will receive a $150 supermarket voucher.

Studies showed the average speed in built-up areas in our district is 67km/h, which was too fast for a pedestrian to survive.

An NZ Transport Agency crash analysis report shows between 2008 and 2012 on State Highways there were 53 crashes in the Whangarei District that resulted in seven deaths, 16 serious injuries and 63 minor injuries. Speed was a factor in 25 per cent of the crashes.