Major road safety operation to target red light running

Red light running is the focus of a major two week long road safety operation, launching in Auckland’s Waitemata District on Monday 16 May, coinciding with the start of Road Safety Week.
 
The operation is a joint initiative between Police, Auckland Transport and NZ Transport Agency.
 
Police will target those motorists who take risks at four key high-risk intersections in the District, during peak morning traffic. 
 
Police and AT staff will work together to monitor and identify offending in real time, while Police and AT education and enforcement teams will stop those identified at the roadside.
 
Waitemata Road Policing Manager Inspector Trevor Beggs says the education and enforcement operation aims to reduce crashes at intersections and subsequent traffic congestion.
 
“In Auckland between 2010-2014, 55 people died and 737 people were seriously injured in intersection crashes. That is far too many families changed forever by the loss of a loved one, and literally hundreds of Kiwis who live with a disability for the rest of their lives,” says Mr Beggs.
 
“We need to educate motorists around intersection safety. If they’re patient and obey traffic signals we can prevent these totally avoidable deaths and serious injuries.”
 
Auckland Transport’s Community Transport Manager Claire Dixon says the intersections were selected because of their location, crash risk, traffic flow and ability to monitor by AT through its CCTV network.
 
Police and AT staff will respond appropriately to motorists caught running red or amber lights. Police staff will apply discretion when dealing with individual motorists, which may result in education or enforcement action. 
 
Ms Dixon says crashes are just part of the problem. “We have to work on the attitude of drivers towards red light signals. Drivers need to get the message that by running red lights they are putting themselves, their passengers and others in danger.”
 
The four intersections involved are: 
Onewa Rd/Highbury Bypass/Birkenhead Ave; 
Albany Expressway/Dairy Flat Highway/Oteha Valley Rd/Albany Highway; 
Glenfield Rd/Bentley Ave and
Taharoto Rd/Northcote Rd.
 
Ends
 
Inspector Trevor Beggs and an AT Spokesperson will be available for media interviews at the Albany Expressway/Dairy Flat Highway/ Oteha Valley Rd intersection between 7am and 8am. To attend please contact:
 
Kim Chambers/ NZ Police 021 911 967 
Mark Hannan/Auckland Transport/ 021 817 995