Stats, stats, oh how we hate them, but?

[terbang]

Notice the road toll this QB weekend is up on that from previous. If I remember right, Easter was the same?
I thought that was what the police are trying to lower by targeting drink driving and speeding.
There must be some stat on this...
Have they slackened off on us road criminals?
Have they changed their focus in the wrong direction (i.e car crushing for boi racers).
Have they been generating less revenue, thus poorer roads and less cops?
Or What?

[Mully]

My theory is that the focus has been on speeding (any forms) at the expense of improving driver training (which includes inappropriate speeding). There is, of course, no revenue in doing it any other way.

My theory also is that newer (and therefore safer) vehicles and vehicle technology ( better tyres, ABS, etc) have been the main reason for the road toll reducing. Because NZers still drive like idiots, that reduction has plateaued somewhat.

People who can't drive therefore deduce that because they are driving at below the limit and they aren't drunk and their vehicle got a new WOF 5 months ago, they they are perfectly safe.

[YellowDog]

One of the accidents was a truck trying to avoid a pedestrian. Both were killed, plus a chemical spill to boot.

We rarely hear the cause of serious accidents. It can't always and only be speed. Modern cars are generally safely capable of almost twice the speed limit. It would be good to know the actual causes.

As a general comment, I have noticed quite a variance in passing methods. Some roads have passing lanes every few Kms, others seem to have a shared passing lane for both directions (bloody dangerous).

I headed down south a couple of weeks back and picked up 35 points and a $230 fine for passing a car on a straight piece of road before slowing down to closer to the speed limit. Somehow such entrapment is going to make the roads safer and reduce accidents. I don't think so. Perhaps the police should be stopping drivers overtaking on blind bends or driving too closely to other cars.

Rant over....................

[Headbanger]

One of the accidents was a truck trying to avoid a pedestrian. Both were killed, plus a chemical spill to boot.

And the pedestrian was in that situation because they had rolled their car earlier and was walking into town.

[ynot slow]

Perhaps the police should be stopping drivers overtaking on blind bends or driving too closely to other cars.

Rant over....................

My 2c worth about passing on bends,driving home from Wanganui on Saturday arvo,go and pass a couple of cars on passing lane,see a few bikes in mirrors,pull over as they approach to enable safe pass if they wish as lane running out,all but a couple pass ok,last 2 not overly unsafe.
Next they decide to pass a truck,whilst going downhill and then into a lefthand bend which rises slightly,anyway the first 4 or so get passed well before bend,the last couple decide we'll go as well as they reach about 70mt to start of bend,approaching I can see(on slight incline 200mts behind) a mid size truck and a cruiser,start thinking this is seriously going to hurt as they got closer,somehow all went ok,but the gesturing by rider to pillion on cruiser said they were annoyed.Stopped at the pub in Bulls were the bikes,hope they cleaned their leathers cause man it looked friggin close.

[James Deuce]

Lot more people drink driving too, according to the latest stats.

Simply not enough cops to tell people how to behave. We should all have our own personal one. Only way to do it really.

[AllanB]

They have been blaming the weather this weekend. Lucky that Labour is out of power or they would be taxing wet days......

I was out in the car with the family yesterday - through town and onto the Christchurch motorway - I was sticking to the speed limit everywhere, it was pissing down - I was passed by practically everyone .......

[Hitcher]

On the subject of lies, damned lies and statistics, there is a difference between driving too fast for the conditions and "speeding".

New Zealand's speed limits are amongst the world's lowest. Why then are our road accidents higher than other comparable countries? Absence of driver training, I would postulate.

[James Deuce]

I blame righteous indignation.

[FJRider]

Lot more people drink driving too, according to the latest stats.

Simply not enough cops to tell people how to behave. We should all have our own personal one. Only way to do it really.

The term for this personal one, is often "partner" (wife/husband)... ignore at your peril ...

Personal responsibility, is upto the person...

[FJRider]

On the subject of lies, damned lies and statistics, there is a difference between driving too fast for the conditions and "speeding".

New Zealand's speed limits are amongst the world's lowest. Why then are our road accidents higher than other comparable countries? Absence of driver training, I would postulate.

We don't need more driver training 'cause we're better than everybody else .... aren't we .....???

[James Deuce]

Don't make me come over all righteously indignant.

[MaxB]

They have been blaming the weather this weekend. Lucky that Labour is out of power or they would be taxing wet days......

Plus do you remember that it was Labour that brought in the 40k over and 28 day walk laws despite '40 kmh over' fatalities being a tiny minority of the total.

[Jiminy]

New Zealand's speed limits are amongst the world's lowest. Why then are our road accidents higher than other comparable countries? Absence of driver training, I would postulate.

Mmmmmmh, not according to this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_limits_by_country

Most fast roads here are highways, not motorways.

Having said that, I agree with the absence of driver training.

[James Deuce]

Mmmmmmh, not according to this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_limits_by_country

A. That's wikipedia and you're not allowed to quote wikipedia in Internet forums. To do so is an automatic fail for your argument.

B. Remove the countries that have no reliable roading system outside their cities, or are congested city states from that list and NZ is slow, slow, slow.