Fingers crossed for road-toll record low

By AINSLEY THOMSON

Despite sometimes terrible weather and heavy holiday traffic, this year's Easter break looks set to have the lowest road toll since records began in 1956.

Police and the Land Transport Safety Authority were last night optimistic that the road toll would remain at two for the official holiday period ending at 6am today.

The previous lowest Easter toll was three, in 1998.

The next lowest were in 1959 and 2001, when four people were killed.

The worst Easter on record was in 1971, when 21 people died.

Inspector John Kelly, of traffic operations at the Police Commissioner's office, said drivers deserved the credit for the low number of deaths, "because in the end their fate is in their own hands".

He said road safety was a community problem and police could do only so much. Drivers had to be responsible for their own safety.

The bad weather was a mixed blessing, he said.

"It creates more dangerous driving conditions, but it does tend to slow people down a bit, and that can make a difference."

Land Transport Safety Authority spokesman Andy Knackstedt agreed that the poor weather had probably played a part in the low road toll.

"It looks like more people have decided to stay home, and less traffic on the road means less crashes."

He said he hoped the low toll was a sign that people had learned the importance of driving to the conditions.

Traffic last night was expected to be heavy, but Mr Knackstedt said that if people continued to be patient and took their time returning home, it could be hoped that there would be no further deaths.

The only fatal accident happened on Good Friday when an Auckland man and his 10-year-old daughter died on State Highway 27 near Tahuna, 19km north of Morrinsville.

Feature: Cutting the road toll

Are you part of the dying race?

Take an intersection safety test

LTSA: Road toll update

Massey University: Effectiveness of safety advertising