This traffic pole gets hit so much it has its own Twitter account

Police, the district council and the New Zealand Transport Agency are looking at ways to make the intersection of Rolleston Drive and State Highway 1 safer. Photo / Christchurch Star

Changes could be made to the busy Rolleston Drive and State Highway 1 intersection to stop traffic poles being hit by vehicles.

The intersection, which has about 25,000 to 30,000 vehicles drive through it each day, has had 17 incidents where traffic poles have been damaged in the past 11 years.

Senior Sergeant Pete Stills said most accidents are "generally" caused by people failing to give way to straight-through traffic when turning into Rolleston Drive.

"So really they're just incidents of poor driving," he said.

The intersection appears to even have its own Twitter page called Rolleston traffic light pole – detailing whether it has been hit or not.

The page told the Selwyn Times: "Us poles are under-represented and we need to stand up for ourselves".

Nobody hit me today.

— The Rolleston Traffic Light Pole (@SloppyTrog) July 13, 2018

Senior Sergeant Stills said police are in consultation with the New Zealand Transport Agency and the district council over proposed prevention and safety changes to the intersection.

He said it includes the possibility of having a right turning arrow for vehicles heading north on State Highway 1, turning into Rolleston Drive.

"And also potentially just some warning signage for left turning traffic being aware of vehicles coming from their right," Senior Sergeant Stills said.

However, he said a date has not been set for when the proposed changes could take place.

Got hit again

— The Rolleston Traffic Light Pole (@SloppyTrog) July 12, 2018

A NZTA spokeswoman said 13 traffic poles, including five in the past three months, have had to be replaced due to "accident damage."

The spokeswoman said the cost to replace the poles depends on the extent of damage and location of the pole.

Got replaced

— The Rolleston Traffic Light Pole (@SloppyTrog) July 12, 2018

"Traffic poles can cost thousands of dollars to replace . . . anything between $5000 and $10,000," she said.

However, the spokeswoman said "where possible" repair costs are recovered from the person responsible for the damage or their insurer.

She said it generally installs socket foundations on poles which have a history of accident damage to reduce the cost of future replacement.