Winter road campaign targets risk areas

A new police campaign will target at risk areas.

Eastern Bay of Plenty police are launching a winter road policing operation to try to reduce the number of crashes on its roads this year.

Sergeant Ray Wylie said the operation would be centred in and around identified high-risk areas. The operation, which is being launched today, will run until October 4.

Mr Wylie said police would target drivers and riders who failed to drive to the conditions. Thirty per cent of all crashes during this period last year occurred while the roads were wet or icy, he said.

The Rotoma area on State Highway 30, the Waimana (SH2) and Waioeka gorges (SH2) have been identified as high risk.

"Road crashes significantly increase during this period due to changes in climatic conditions, resulting in roads becoming slippery from rain and ice," Mr Wylie said.

"The large majority of these crashes are preventable."

He said motorists needed to be aware of the changing road conditions, particularly as it began to rain, resulting in a change to the road surface.

Mr Wylie said motorists could do a number of things prevent crashes.

"Slow down, double the following distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you, always wear your seatbelt, drive to the conditions and stay entirely within your own lane."

People are encouraged to call *555 to report changing road conditions or areas of risk.