Labour weekend drivers beware

Howard Broad. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Police will use cameras this Labour weekend to catch drivers straying across centre-lines as part of a multi-pronged campaign to tackle the road toll.

The tactic, first used by Central North Island and Tasman District police, will go national for the first time from 4pm today.

Video and still cameras will be used to gather evidence against drivers and Police Commissioner Howard Broad will join front-line police on patrol on Auckland roads tomorrow night, when high-visibility alcohol checkpoints and a lower tolerance of speeding drivers will contribute to the Labour weekend "lifesaver campaign".

The police intend to take action against anyone driving more than 4km/h faster than ruling speed limits throughout the long weekend, down from their standard allowance of 10km/h.

In a trial on Queen's Birthday weekend, there was just one road death compared with 12 fatalities in the same holiday period last year.

Mr Broad said yesterday that Labour weekend, which saw eight road deaths last year, tended to be a busier holiday for traffic.

"If that many people were murdered in three days the nation would be in shock, but road deaths are still largely accepted as inevitable."

National road policing manager Superintendent Paula Rose said cameras would cover high-risk portions of roads where too many drivers strayed across centre lines.

"Wherever possible we'll stop people as soon as we can - we might have somebody radio through and stop them down the road," she said.

"But those we are unable to stop in time, we will be following up with letters to the registered owners of vehicles and taking action."

That operation would complement action against speeding drivers, for which all of the police's 43 mobile cameras and 12 fixed units would be marshalled.

Action would also be taken against slow drivers unwilling to pull over to let others pass.

Although the police would revert to their 10km/h speed tolerance policy at 6am on Tuesday, she said that if another low road toll could be achieved, they may consider imposing a lower threshold at other times.

Automobile Association spokesman Mike Noon called on the police to use their discretion "and truly focus on dangerous driving" rather than fine drivers for exceeding the 4km/h allowance by small margins on good roads.

Meanwhile, the Transport Agency is halting work on most highway projects in Auckland and Northland from midday today, but is warning drivers to take care while driving through 11 construction zones.