Road deaths well down on last year

New figures showing fatal car crashes for the year to date are well down on last year's toll. File photo / Glenn Taylor

A road safety expert is encouraged by new figures showing fatal car crashes for the year to date are well down on last year's toll.

Since the year began, 195 people have died on New Zealand roads. At the same time last year there had been 263 fatalities.

Just over half those killed were car drivers. Figures for passengers, pedestrians and motorcyclists are all down.

Only bicyclists were more at risk of being killed. Seven cyclists have died so far this year, two more than at this point last year.

Apart from August, there have been fewer fatalities for each month this year.

28 people were killed last month, compared to just 21 in August 2010.

New Zealand Transport Agency spokesman Andy Knackstedt said that while every death was a tragedy, the overall figures released by the Ministry were heartening.

"It's certainly encouraging to see that we're heading in the right direction but do we need to bear in mind that every death is a tragedy."

Mr Knackstedt pointed out that the figures did not include figures for people maimed or injured in accidents.

He more work needed to be done to ensure "crash forces are minimised" and driving safety improved to ensure accidents did not result in casualties.

Knackstedt said it was too early for the NZTA could provide "definitive causes" or analysis for reasons beyond the overall drop in road deaths.