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A major car manufacturer has hit out at Land Transport New Zealand (LTNZ), saying it has been taking all the credit for reducing the road toll.
Hyundai Motors NZ executive director Philip Eustace said both the motor industry with its "huge advances in vehicle safety in the past 10 years", and Transit NZ with its work improving roads played a part in reducing the road toll.
"However, all we hear from LTNZ is endless publicity about how its speeding campaigns, drink-driving blitzes and so on are doing the job ... " Mr Eustace said.
"It's time LTNZ got real and gave credit where it's due, rather than grabbing the limelight for itself."
The introduction of advanced braking systems, stability control, multiple airbags, and suspension setups were just a few things that had made a difference, he said.
LTNZ spokesman Andy Knackstedt described Mr Eustace's comments as "curious". Just last week LTNZ had issued a media statement singling out Hyundai for praise for its work in vehicle safety. LTNZ was a "relatively small part of a much bigger puzzle in terms of improving vehicle safety and road safety", Mr Knackstedt said.
It worked "very closely" and "very well" with the motor vehicle industry, other Crown agencies and the police.
"We've certainly never claimed that all the credit for a reduced road toll belongs to any one party."
A big part of the reduction of the deaths and injury on the road was to do with vehicle safety, Mr Knackstedt said.
"Manufacturers deserve full credit for the advances that they've made and we give them that credit."
Police enforcement, education and advertising also played a part in reducing the road toll, Mr Knackstedt said.
"I would struggle to find an example of where we have actually taken credit. It's not a matter of one party taking credit. Everyone that works in this area is focused on reducing deaths and injuries on the road and it's about that outcome."
- NZPA
