During the past couple of years, there has been a big shift nationwide in terms of our road toll. It seems the battle is being won.
It might be that the drink-driving message is starting to finally sink in, or that people don't speed as much as they used to.
Bay of Plenty district road policing manager Inspector Kevin Taylor credits the police for being more visible on state highways. He said three to four years ago, staff would have no trouble catching people speeding but now they were harder to nab - which obviously is a good thing.
But no matter how you look at the figures, for those who have lost people in car smashes, the pain will never get any easier.
Rotorua mother Sonia Wilson has told us that four years after losing her daughter, Whittney Robertson, it is still difficult to move forward.
Whittney was killed by a repeat drink-driver, Royland Alexander McCann, who has already been released on parole.
Mrs Wilson's attitude towards her daughter's killer is pretty amazing. She doesn't hold any ill feelings towards him and hopes he has learnt from the experience.
She hopes he will get the support he needs now that he is out of jail.
I couldn't imagine the pain of losing a child or a close family member in a car accident. It's not something anyone would want to go through.
Be careful out there on the roads and let's try to make 2013 a safe one.
