Police to prosecute if 4km/h over limit

Police fed up with carnage on the roads will prosecute every driver caught more than 4km/h over the speed limit this Queen's Birthday weekend.

The move comes in the wake of a horror holiday weekend last year, in which 10 people were killed and 32 seriously injured - the highest toll in 13 years.

National road policing manager Superintendent Paula Rose said police will be out in force from tomorrow to enforce the tough new stance, which will see police reduce their 10 per cent tolerance for driving over the speed limit to just 5 per cent.

"The speed limit is just that - the limit," she said.

"We will be enforcing a 'no excuses' policy towards all individuals who break the speed limit this weekend."

Ms Rose said it was up to drivers, as well as police, to help bring down horror weekend road tolls.

"Our weekends are killing us," she said.

"Police do not want to spend another holiday weekend dealing with carnage on the roads, so please help us in our goal of saving lives."

The clampdown comes after speed was found to be a factor in many fatal crashes over the Easter holiday weekend this year.

Twelve people died - the highest number in 18 years - and hundreds more were injured, including four unrestrained children torpedoed from a van as it tumbled down a bank.

The Queen's Birthday road toll period will run from 4pm tomorrow until 6am Tuesday.

- NZPA