Killer driver needs to face consequences, says victim's brother

Cycle crash victim Kay Wolfe. Photo / Supplied

The brother of one of three cyclists killed in a collision with a car says the person allegedly responsible will have to take the consequences.

A 23-year-old Matamata woman has been charged with three counts of careless driving causing the deaths of Kay Heather Wolfe, 45, Mark Andrew Ferguson, 46, and Wilhelm Muller, 71, in Morrinsville on Sunday, November 14.

Wolfe's brother Dean Scanlen said yesterday: "It's important that people who drive badly or make serious mistakes driving take the proper consequences for their actions and in this case I'm happy to leave it to the justice system to do that."

Scanlen, a transport and traffic safety engineer, will speak today at a rally in Auckland about the need to change our driving culture.

The rally at Queens Wharf at 11am comes after five cyclists were killed on New Zealand roads in five days last month.

Cycle Action Auckland spokeswoman Barbara Cuthbert said the recent spate of deaths and rising levels of injuries showed the effect of hostility toward cyclists on the road.

Cuthbert said the lack of space for cyclists on many city and rural roads was creating growing problems.

Also at the rally will be Jason Bailey who was cycling home when a taxi driver opened his door in front of him. Bailey swerved but his pedal clipped the edge of the door, sending him flying into the middle of the road.

He cracked his forearm but was "very lucky" there was no oncoming traffic, unlike English nurse Jane Mary Bishop, 27, who died last month when she swerved to avoid a car door on Auckland's Tamaki Drive.

Bailey said deaths could be avoided if drivers were more aware of cyclists and shared the road.

"It's selfishness," he said.

"We see acts of stupidity and it's completely unnecessary." More respect was needed.