Wellington Police are supporting the United Nations Global Road Safety Week with increased police visibility, especially around schools as the new school term commences.
The awareness week is designed to highlight the scale of the global road safety problem.
So far this year, six people have died on roads in the Wellington region. This compares with seven deaths at the same time last year.
Senior Sergeant Doug Rowan of the Wellington District Road Policing Group says police will be out in force as part of the Speed Kills Kids campaign with high visibility patrols around schools enforcing speed restrictions.
"Enforcement on an at risk basis will be happening between 7.30am and 6pm on school days to take in children arriving and leaving schools, as well as after-school play and activities," Senior Sergeant Rowan said.
Motorists caught travelling at more than 54km/hr within 250 metres of schools will be ticketed.
Police in Upper Hutt are also targeting road safety as part of Operation Relentless, a blitz on crime and crash hotspots in the area.
Last week over 50 people were caught sailing through stop signs and many others were caught running red lights, says Acting Upper Hutt Area Commander Inspector Mike Hill.
Upper Hutt Police have also caught three people traveling at excessive speed on River Road in the past few days. One was caught doing 139km/h in wet conditions, another was caught at 141km/h and the third at 145km/h.
"The road rules are there for a reason. This kind of risky driving is a precursor to crashes, injuries and deaths," says Inspector Hill.
Police target resources to high risk areas and know that police visibility and proactive enforcement helps to prevent crashes.
Some key crash hotspots in the Wellington region:
The locations below have been identified through 5-year (2001-2005) crash history statistics.
Wairarapa
• Lincoln Road / Villa Street intersection • Renall St / Pownall St intersection
Upper Hutt
• Rimutaka Hill Road / Kaitoke Hill • SH2 / Moonshine Road • SH2 / Totara Park Road intersection • SH2 / Moonshine Road intersection
Lower Hutt
• Wainuiomata Hill Road • SH2 / Major Drive • Fairway Dr / Taita Drive intersection
Wellington City Area
• Adelaide Road / Riddiford St / John St intersection • Customhouse Quay / Hunter St intersection • SH1 / Newlands on-ramp northbound
Kapiti
• Otaihanga - Ratanui Road • SH1 North / Otaihanga Road intersection
Porirua
• Tawa off-ramp southbound / Takapu Road intersection • Titahi Bay Road / Prosser Street intersection • Titahi Bay Road / Te Pene Ave intersection • Whitford Brown Ave / Papakowhai Road intersection
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