Police and The Hits Rotorua share road safety message with fluffy ears and chocolates

Armed with baskets and dishing our chocolates, police are taking a more fluffy-tailed approach to road safety this week.

The Hits Rotorua and the police were sponsored by Road Safety Rotorua to spread the message of driver safety ahead of the long weekend using chocolates.

Yesterday the team set up next to the traffic lights on the corner of Pak'nSave and had everyone, from truck drivers to mums with their children, pulling up to the policemen.

The unspoken competition of who could give away the most chocolates had drivers winding down their windows to take in a message of "drive safely".

Road policing Constable Adam Taylor said people were keen to pull up and see what they had to say.

"We've had the odd person dive lanes to try get into the chocolate lane because there is only one lane.

"Normally when you approach a car they think they're in trouble but when they see you holding something like chocolate, they're more likely to pop the window down."

Taylor said police tended to see more incidents over long weekends as people wanted to get to where they were going as soon as possible.

As first responders to crashes, Taylor said police would arrive at the scene and hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

"Some people don't understand or see what we see on a weekly basis ... we've seen the result of what might happen."

"Seeing anyone on the road getting injured or hurt and thinking about how their family's going to respond to that is probably the hardest bit," he said.

Senior Constable Darrell Earney said speed and seatbelts were factors everyone should keep at the front of mind.

The Hits Rotorua presenter Paul Hickey said the campaign was a success and drivers responded well to the message accompanied with goodies.

The Hits brand engagement co-ordinator Bryce Morris said it was a fun way to get the message out.

From tomorrowa 4km/h speed tolerance will be in place for the long weekend.

The final day of the campaign is this morning on Lake Rd, near the hospital, from 8am to 8.30am.