Editorial: Road toll down but there's miles to go

There are precious few problems in the country that appear to be getting better. It is natural, therefore, that when an improvement does appear, there is a temptation to cross that problem off the list. That can be dangerous, especially when the problem is injury and death on the roads.

It is immensely encouraging that the year just ended has provisionally recorded the lowest road death toll, 462, since records began in 1965. The previous lowest occurred in 1998, part of a definite declining trend since the worst year on record, 1973, when 843 died. But the trend is no reason to relax the effort to reduce the toll. Every death on the road is preventable. New Zealand, as we report today, still has a higher rate of road fatalities than most places and this year the Herald is going to try to help do something about it.

We are inviting readers to offer suggestions. There are no real experts on a subject such as this. Everyone who drives has some knowledge of the problem from observations and experience. One effective road safety warning in recent times has been the simple white crosses that grieving people erect at the roadsides where loved ones have died. That was an idea that arose spontaneously in the community, owing nothing to officialdom and not altogether welcomed by it. Experts even suggested the crosses posed a hazard as a distraction to motorists. They are a decidedlyuseful "distraction," mute reminders to be careful, and reminding authorities that the road has taken a toll.

But the fact that the toll overall has been declining for the past 25 years suggests that, on this subject anyway, the authorities have been doing something right. We need to know what it was. We probably need more of it.

Some helpful developments are obvious. Cars and roads have been getting better. The general age and condition of vehicles is vastly improved on a generation ago, partly because manufacturers constantly compete to improve them and partly because New Zealand opened its borders to good, low-cost, used imports.

But it is as well to recognise that if the dollar remains low the quality of imported cars that New Zealanders can buy cheaply will also decline. The spate of flood-damaged cars brought from Japan late last year was an early warning that one way or another - by responsible importing or regulation - we may have to pay more for safety.

Road engineering, too, has steadily improved over 25 years, though there is still much to be done. For example, it is high time the busiest stretch of State Highway 1, from Auckland to Hamilton, was dual carriageway. Last year Transfund allocated money for 12km of highway south from Mercer to be upgraded to four lanes. It is slow progress. In the meantime, main highways have been improved with the addition of frequent passing lanes, but they carry their own hazard as cars race to get ahead before the lane runs out.

It is worth noting also that the road toll has continued to fall since police replaced dedicated traffic officers. Police introduced less overt means of law enforcement, using speed cameras rather than patrol cars. The disappearance of visible patrols has disappointed many people, who believe driving standards have deteriorated as a consequence. They may have short memories. Driving standards in this country have long left much to be desired. It is probably a function of a small population and relatively thin traffic compared with places where drivers need to be more alert to other vehicles.

In one sense our attitudes are improving. Campaigns against drink-driving and lower blood-alcohol limits have had some effect. Among the young in particular there is now much more disapproval of drink-driving than there was when their parents were young. But there is no cause for complacency. The crackdown on drink-driving must never let up and will constantly need new ideas, new techniques, to reinforce the message.

Road safety, like most social behaviour, cannot be compelled simply by draconian laws and harsh penalties. The techniques that work will probably be subtle, flexible, reasonable and clever. Let's hear your suggestions.