Make this Friday a black one for the Reaper not emergency services staff or your wallet is the message from Waikato Police this Friday the 13th.
With this month's Black Friday falling during the National Restraint Week Waikato Road Policing Manager, Inspector Leo Tooman, advised motorists to make it click or be prepared to take a hit in the back pocket.
"Highway Patrol and Traffic Alcohol Group staff will be combining with Hamilton Strategic Traffic Unit officers in a blitz this Friday to hammer home the road safety message.
"Studies have revealed the most at risk period for driving in Hamilton is from mid-afternoon to early evening Friday and we'll be out trying to give Hamilton a crash free Black Friday."
Last year one person died, 10 people suffered serious and 60 minor injuries in crashes in Hamilton on a Friday. Of those the single death and eight serious injuries had the not wearing of a seatbelt as a contributing factor.
"The figures were worse in 2007 when five people died, 10 were seriously injured and 69 suffered minor injuries," said Mr Tooman.
ACC figures show each crash has a huge resulting cost that must be met by the taxpayer.
"The average cost of a serious injury claim resulting from a road crash is $56,634. If one of those people injured becomes a para or tetraplegic the average cost becomes $9.6 million.
"In the case of a fatality, using a married 34-year-old male who leaves behind a 30-year-old spouse and one and three year-old children as an example- with 17 years of compensation payments that one death would cost the country $967953."
When one of the most effective lifesaving techniques was making a belt click Mr Tooman said there was little wonder Police had a zero tolerance for non-compliance.
"Last year we ran a child car restraint campaign, during which we found children travelling around in the foot well and boot areas of cars which is simply unacceptable.
"As each crash requires significant response from the emergency services and ongoing hospitalisation we're also operating a zero tolerance approach to mechanically unsound vehicles because the consequences are too severe to ignore."
Staff operating in Hamilton will be supported by colleagues on the City's periphery with Huntly and Morrinsville staff also operating checkpoints.
"And we realise if we reach our objective of a crash free Friday we'll be putting the Reaper out of a job in very tough financial times so we've employed him to be on site at the checkpoints handing out a little sweetener to drivers who come up to standard."
End