New Zealand Police are pleased that there have been far fewer road deaths for the 2024-25 holiday period compared to last year.
The holiday period road toll provisionally stands at 13, which is just over half of last year’s total of 22.
Director Road Policing Superintendent Steve Greally says while it’s fantastic to have seen this number drop, any death on the roads is still one too many.
“That’s still 13 families who have had their lives irrevocably changed at what should be a happy and festive time of year, and our hearts go out to them,” Greally said in a statement. “It’s important that we collectively keep doing everything we can to prevent lives being lost on our roads.”
Police will continue to be out in force across the country this summer, conducting road policing operations and patrols to target unsafe driver behavior.
“Our officers are doing everything they can out on the roads working to reduce the number of serious crashes,” Greally said. “But we need drivers to be doing their bit too.
“Please – make sure everyone in your vehicle is safely buckled up, drive at a safe speed for the conditions under the speed limit, put your cellphone away, and ensure you’re driving free of fatigue, alcohol, and drugs,” Greally added.
