Father of tourist crash victim Abi Hone: Safety messages not getting through

Abi Hone (pictured) her friend Ella Summerfield and Ella's mother were all killed in the crash on Queen's Birthday weekend. Photo / supplied

The father of a girl killed in a crash caused by a Dutch businessman says safety messages are not getting through to tourist drivers.

Abi Hone, her friend Ella Summerfield and Ella's mother were all killed in a Rakaia crash on Queen's Birthday weekend.

Johannes Jacobus Appelman, 52, who did not see a stop sign, admitted causing the deaths. He was later banned him from driving for 15 months and ordered to pay Mr Summerfield $25,000 in emotional harm reparation.

The issue of tourist drivers has flared up again after eight deaths involving foreign drivers in the space of as many days.

Speaking this morning on TVNZ's Breakfast programme, Abi's father Trevor said he appreciated the efforts being made to educate people at our borders in terms of road safety. But a greater focus was needed to make foreigners aware of the dangers of our "quirky" roads before they boarded their plane.

"We're on the plane. Our heads are possibly in holiday mode or in business mode, we're probably tired," he said.

"We're not in a condition to digest the information we're being given. I fully appreciate the initiative but the message isn't getting through."

Mr Hone believed a "rumble strip" down the middle of our roads could help prevent drivers veering too far out of their lanes.