Whanganui police checking vehicles on Glasgow St in central Whanganui. Photo / Bevan Conley
Whanganui police checking vehicles on Glasgow St in central Whanganui. Photo / Bevan Conley
An "alarmingly high" number of Whanganui drivers have been ticketed in New Zealand Police's three-month road safety operation which is in full swing in the city.
Sergeant Colin Wright - Whanganui's officer in charge of road policing - said, as part of Operation Deterrence, motorists would be stopped "anywhere, at any time", and every driver stopped would be breath tested.
"This has already resulted in a driver being detected over the drink-drive limit at 9 o'clock in the morning in Whanganui," Wright said.
"As for speed, remember that the speed limit is just that, a limit.
"Drivers can expect to be stopped at any speed over the relevant speed limit and enforcement action is likely."
The operation is specifically targeting the non-wearing of restraints, impairment, use of mobile phones and speed.
New Zealand currently sits in the bottom quarter of the OECD road death per capita figures at 7.6 deaths per 100,000 of the population.
"Over the last few years this equates to one death and seven people seriously injured on New Zealand roads every day," Wright said.
Constable Trevor Scarrow said police had been running "mini operations" in Whanganui over the last few weeks, with spotters looking for people using cellphones while driving, and those not wearing seatbelts.
The fine for using a mobile phone while driving is $150 and incurs 20 demerits on the driver's licence. Not wearing a restraint is a $150 fine.
"We are still getting an alarmingly high number," Scarrow said.
"We'd like to think that by the end of the three months we've made quite a difference and saved some lives, but we are a bit discouraged that we're finding it so easy to give those tickets."
Whanganui police often pulled over drivers who were looking down into their lap, Scarrow said.
Whanganui Police Sergeant Colin Wright. Photo / File
"It can be a few seconds before they look up again, which is quite scary to think about.
"Cyclists and pedestrians are quite vulnerable to people who aren't looking where they're going.
"I think people have become so attached to their phones they might not even realise how much time they're giving to them."
The current operation was "all about the unpredictability and spread of enforcement", Wright said.
"Over the last few years it has been shown that the increased use of enforcement targeting these offences has reduced deaths and serious injuries on New Zealand roads," he said.
"In short, slow down, phone down, buckle up and drive sober."
A common excuse for motorists after being pulled over was "I was just changing the music", Scarrow said.
"It's still hooked into their phone and they're still having to look down at a screen.
"That's not an acceptable excuse. We'd encourage them to invest in technology where they can do it all from their car dashboard if they insist on playing music through the phone."
Scarrow said if Operation Deterrence was successful over the three-month period, it would become "business as usual" for police across the country.
"We'll be putting extra resources into it, and the proof of the pudding is a lower road toll and less injuries on the road as well."
