Low road toll

[MrKiwi]

Today, the Police are extolling (couldn't resist the pun) the 'remarkable low road toll year to date". National road policing manager Paula Rose said the reduced toll could represent a sudden "societal shift" on road safety in New Zealand.

Hmmm, I'm not so sure I agree. Last time the road toll dipped it coincided with an increase in fuel price, which was in 2008 (366 for the year, the lowest in about 50 years). And what do we have now, high fuel prices and more people taking public transport. A quick glance at longer term trends suggests the every time fuel prices go up and stay up for a period there is a lowering of the road toll. Kind of makes sense, but heck what do I know...

[onearmedbandit]

Price fuel at $10 per litre and see what happens (well apart from the failure of our current economy). So yes your argument does have grounding.

[Latte]

Price fuel at $10 per litre and see what happens (well apart from the failure of our current economy). So yes your argument does have grounding.

No way, the police have finally found the right mix of Speed Cameras, infringements, and advertising dollars spent to cause a reduction in the road toll.

[Mekk]

Thanks, Libya.

[steve_t]

No way, the police have finally found the right mix of Speed Cameras, infringements, and advertising dollars spent to cause a reduction in the road toll.

No way, it was the 5km/h speed tolerances on public holidays

[superman]

Today, the Police are extolling (couldn't resist the pun) the 'remarkable low road toll year to date". National road policing manager Paula Rose said the reduced toll could represent a sudden "societal shift" on road safety in New Zealand.

Hmmm, I'm not so sure I agree. Last time the road toll dipped it coincided with an increase in fuel price, which was in 2008 (366 for the year, the lowest in about 50 years). And what do we have now, high fuel prices and more people taking public transport. A quick glance at longer term trends suggests the every time fuel prices go up and stay up for a period there is a lowering of the road toll. Kind of makes sense, but heck what do I know...

Lower socio-economic groups can't afford to drive as often, they never learnt how to drive properly and drive bombs through getting WOFs from dodgy places. Lower road toll.

No wait I better be PC... society is equally taking the brunt of the higher fuel prices and hence forth everyone can't afford to cruise for the fun of it anymore in automobiles. Lower road toll.

[Oblivion]

Lower socio-economic groups can't afford to drive as often, they never learnt how to drive properly and drive bombs through getting WOFs from dodgy places. Lower road toll.

No wait I better be PC... society is equally taking the brunt of the higher fuel prices and hence forth everyone can't afford to cruise for the fun of it anymore in automobiles. Lower road toll.

An excuse for us to all build electric auto-whatchamacallits.

[p.dath]

We have had a recession. Less people have jobs in a recession. As a consequence, less people are driving to and from work everyday, and less people are driving for work (as in sales people driving from customer to customer). Also more people have less money to spend on driving to their favourite holiday destination or just getting away.

Any chance there are less accidents because people are driving less?

[Gremlin]

Any chance there are less accidents because people are driving less?

Are you crazy? You evidently don't understand the government's complex math.

[Katman]

It would be a great arguing point if the increased fuel prices led to more people riding motorcycles and the road toll still remained low.

[MrKiwi]

...
Any chance there are less accidents because people are driving less?

Yes, that's my view...

and post edit, I agree Katman

[bogan]

Are you crazy? You evidently don't understand the government's complex math.

dunno bout their math, but their logic goes: if it's good, take credit for it, if it's bad blame somebody else!

[BoristheBiter]

I dunno really whether it is or isn't what the traffic policy's are doing or not doing but I have noticed how slow drivers are these days and how much of the roads are now double yellow lines and how most people just don't overtake anymore.

[Berries]

Figures from MOT
Road deaths year to date at 30 March 2011 - 66. Same time last year - 98

Fatal crashes year to date at 30 March 2011 - 58. Same time last year - 91

I can't see a "societal shift" myself, just a blip over the first quarter. Of course the Police are going to jump up and down and claim it is due to the work they are doing. I blame the shit summer weather myself and people staying indoors to watch tragedies unfold on the TV.

[pete376403]

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/region...st-in-60-years

Suppose that trend is also happening around the country.

the Police will have no problem claiming the credit from this