Speed trap catches half the motorists on same stretch

Oncoming traffic at Kauri comes under close scrutiny by Constable Natalia Panoho and Sergeant Barbara Goodwin. Photo / Michael Cunningham

It was a relatively slow day for police targeting speeding drivers on a high-crash section of Northland road.

Motorists travelling through an 80km/h speed zone on State Highway 1 near Kauri came under the scrutiny of a speed laser gun yesterday.

During the hour-long sting from 10.10am there were 10 motorists nabbed for travelling over the posted speed limit, while three were lucky to drive away with a warning. That was half the number stopped during a similar operation last December on the same section of State Highway 1.

The first vehicle stopped yesterday ended up being impounded after checks revealed the 42-year-old male driver, from Kamo, was forbidden to drive and was breaching a bail condition, which was not to drive a vehicle. He was taken to Whangarei police station to organise a court appearance, while his car was secured at a yard. He also received infringement notices for no warrant of fitness and associated matters.

The highest speed recorded was a northbound motorist travelling at 102km/h, who was also towing a trailer. Every driver issued with a ticket will have to pay a fine but will also have demerit points. Once a driver clocks up 100 demerit points they lose their licence.

The latest result has received a luke warm response from Northland's top traffic officer, who was roadside dealing with the errant drivers yesterday.

Inspector Wayne Ewers reckons too many people still travel at unsafe speeds.

"There are still far too many drivers out there who do not understand that speed is a killer on our roads. Although new cars have all the safety equipment in them, a head-on collision at 110km/h you will be lucky to survive," Mr Ewers said.

"Kauri is renowned for fatal and serious accidents and we saw first-hand in the later part of 2015 the damage and carnage that can occur at even 80km/h, this is the reason the speeds through Kauri were reduced."

He said it was pleasing to see fewer speedsters on that section of road than during December's operation.