Drivers reduce open-road speeds

By SCOTT MacLEOD

Drivers are easing off the accelerator as they cruise our open roads - saving as many as 25 lives a year.

A new survey has found that the average highway motorist is only just breaking the 100 km/h speed limit.

The Land Transport Safety Authority clocked open-road motorists at 65 sites between June and August and found the average person drove at 100.2 km/h - 1.2 km/h less than last year.

The figures, though small, translate into fewer road fatalities.

The authority's director, David Wright, said yesterday that the survey was encouraging because a drop of 1.2 km/h should trim the annual road toll by 5 per cent - or 20 to 25 lives.

Police and the authority used the figures to claim success for new highway patrols.

The first hit the roads last December, and there are now more than 150 in service, with about 30 more to come by the end of the year.

Police national road safety manager Steve Fitzgerald said the patrols were cracking down on speedsters, issuing lots of tickets and stamping their presence on the open road.

"We've been very visible, and the results of this survey show the message is getting through - drivers know we're serious about speed."

NZ Automobile Association spokesman George Fairbairn agreed that highway patrols were pushing down speed.

"Before, we could drive from Wellington to Hamilton without seeing a police car operating," he said. "Now we do see them."

LTSA spokesman Andy Knackstedt said it was likely that the average speed would dip under 100 km/h next year when the highway patrols were fully operational.

The survey also showed that fewer people were speeding far above the open-road limit. Last year's survey found 15 per cent of people drove faster that 111 km/h. This year the figure was 10 per cent.

The LTSA also checked driving in urban areas and found a smaller drop in speed. The average was 55.2 km/h, 0.1 km/h down on last year.

The toll to yesterday of 364 was down by seven on this time last year, which finished on a record low of 462.

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