Some people just don't get statistics...

[Hitcher]

The number of people dying on New Zealand's roads over Easter has
risen for the first time in five years.

Four people - three motorists and one pedestrian - died in road
accidents between Thursday night and 6am on Tuesday morning, when the
long weekend period officially ended.

Until now, the Easter road toll has been slowly dropping since 1999,
when there were seven deaths.

Inspector John Kelly says it is disappointing the toll is one higher
than the past two years.

What a nonsense these sorts of stats are! Ballpark, about one person a day dies as a result of motor vehicle accidents. On this basis, the "holiday road toll" for Easter should be (wait for it) four! (plus or minus).

It is also interesting to note that there is no published "holiday influenza toll", when statistically a similar number of people (four) would have died this weekend from flu-related causes.

[vifferman]

Yeah, but of course you know that old adage by Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain):

"There are lies, damn lies, and statistics."

It sounds as though you are just as infuriated by the inane and pathetic misuse of statistics as I am.

[DEATH_INC.]

Yeah, but of course you know that old adage by Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain):

"There are lies, damn lies, and statistics."

It sounds as though you are just as infuriated by the inane and pathetic misuse of statistics as I am.

You guys are onto it,if four people died in 1 crash you'd double the road toll.....then we'd get another round of new speed camera's ect and they'd gloat about how it reduced the toll next hols.....
What a f****n joke

[k14]

Surprised the headlines in todays newspaper weren't "Police Startled By 33% Rise In Easter Road Toll" and the article would go on to say that speeding was the cause of all of the crashes and a 200% increase in speed cameras is the solution along with double demerits on holiday weekends along with decreasing the tolerance to 2kph over the limit, wouldn't surprise me quite frankly, this is just a joke.

They didnt say that this is very good, cause it is. If the rest of the year was like this the road toll would be 365, which is alot lower than the current one, they don't say that.

[SPman]

They didnt say that this is very good, cause it is. If the rest of the year was like this the road toll would be 365, which is alot lower than the current one,
they don't say that.

Nearly always negative, scaremongering shit! (bit like this site, sometimes )
The worry is, the general populace buy into it!!!

[scumdog]

Surprised the headlines in todays newspaper weren't "Police Startled By 33% Rise In Easter Road Toll" and the article would go on to say that speeding was the cause of all of the crashes and a 200% increase in speed cameras is the solution along with double demerits on holiday weekends along with decreasing the tolerance to 2kph over the limit, wouldn't surprise me quite frankly, this is just a joke.

They didnt say that this is very good, cause it is. If the rest of the year was like this the road toll would be 365, which is alot lower than the current one, they don't say that.

Makes you wonder who is doing the propaganda, the media or LTSA?
The media don't hold back at "enhancing" or dramatising events or incidents to make them more lurid than reality - sells newspapers ya know

[Lou Girardin]

I burst into print again when I saw that comment from John Kelly. (Who I did MOT training with) I drove to Wellington and return at Easter, saw lots of camera vans and a few HP cars, all on SH1. But none of them were around when a moron decided to pass me and two other cars on a blind S bend nor did they see the 4WD drivers that couldn't stay on their side of the road in the twisties. I probably saw 3 or 4 very close calls, but none of them were speeding.
The wonder was that only 4 died.
Lou

[spudchucka]

I burst into print again when I saw that comment from John Kelly. (Who I did MOT training with) I drove to Wellington and return at Easter, saw lots of camera vans and a few HP cars, all on SH1. But none of them were around when a moron decided to pass me and two other cars on a blind S bend nor did they see the 4WD drivers that couldn't stay on their side of the road in the twisties. I probably saw 3 or 4 very close calls, but none of them were speeding.
The wonder was that only 4 died.
Lou

Did you make a complaint about the bad driving? The cops can't be everywhere and they rely on receiving information from the public to apprehend dangerous drivers.

Why don't you start reporting bad driving to the authorities instead of writing letters to newspapers.

[Wenier]

Speed is jus a factor of some crashes not all you could say 50kph is speed because your not stopped are ya. They need to think about it and focus on the drivers skill not anything else because it is always gonna be driver error that has causes the crash!

[F5 Dave]

Well it’s pretty dangerous out there. I’m just glad I’m not a participant of pretty much the most deadly sport in NZ.

Lawn Bowls.

The statistics prove it. Lets not view any other contributing factors in (like the average age of participants) & tax the hell out of these reckless sports people.

[Big Dog]

Well it’s pretty dangerous out there. I’m just glad I’m not a participant of pretty much the most deadly sport in NZ.

Lawn Bowls.

The statistics prove it. Lets not view any other contributing factors in (like the average age of participants) & tax the hell out of these reckless sports people.

When I was selling life insurance in 95 it was a commonly acknowledged that it was statistically the most dangerous job in the world.

Contributing factors.
Relatively small data pool (less insurance salesmen than police officers).
Average age was 60 years old.
and a convention had been involved in a terrorist incident.

Carreer Fatality Risk is measured by number in profession at the time of their death/the the number in the proffession. Nature of death, and external factors are not taken into consideration, not even wether you were at work or not.

But Premiums were highest for insurance salesman for the following five years as carreer fatality risk is only reassesed every five years.


If your quote for life insurance seems inordinately high ask to hear the stats!

[James Deuce]

Did you make a complaint about the bad driving? The cops can't be everywhere and they rely on receiving information from the public to apprehend dangerous drivers.

Why don't you start reporting bad driving to the authorities instead of writing letters to newspapers.

Its a nice concept, but the police won't do anything about it, nor will they follow up a written complaint on the correct form.

I've *555ed twice, asked for the form and filled it in and sent it off. Repeated requests for action got no reply.

One was for a car filled with teenagers who changed into my lane while I was along side and slightly ahead of them, travelling Nth on the Wellington motorway on the flat just past the Aotea Quay on ramp. I was in the car and a bit hemmed in. All I could do was brake and hit the horn. The other was for a dickhead reversing a Pajero back down the Aotea on ramp in peak home time traffic.

[spudchucka]

Its a nice concept, but the police won't do anything about it, nor will they follow up a written complaint on the correct form.

I've *555ed twice, asked for the form and filled it in and sent it off. Repeated requests for action got no reply.

One was for a car filled with teenagers who changed into my lane while I was along side and slightly ahead of them, travelling Nth on the Wellington motorway on the flat just past the Aotea Quay on ramp. I was in the car and a bit hemmed in. All I could do was brake and hit the horn. The other was for a dickhead reversing a Pajero back down the Aotea on ramp in peak home time traffic.

I can't say what happens in other areas but I've seen heaps of traffic complaint forms going through for investigation, dozens every week. They can be a pain in the butt because the general public don't always understand the detail of information required but in my experience all the legit complaints get followed up and the offenders dealt with. It's still worthwhile making complaints in my opinion and there is a better chance of getting something done than just whinging to the editor of a newspaper.

[shafty]

I'm with Hitcher on this one. How many people are on the road at some stage on Easter Weekend? 500,000? Statisically, someone is going to die of a bad fart backfiring, surely?

I truly do feel that the Cops are having heat applied to stop and fine more people. I have been a 'Travelling Sales Person" since Lasers were the latest Rep cars and have had only 1 ticket (until last month) in that time, by choosing carefully where I speed. Don't get me wrong - I fang it in the XT 'Coon, but roads like the one from Te Aroha via Manawaru to the Kaimais's has been sacred for years;
Went thru there the other week to see 2 cops stopping folk for WOF and Rego checks in the 50 K/PH zone, then find another cop hiding in long grass with a Radar 5 k's down the road!!

Get over it.

I know we all think we're great Riders/Drivers but I doubt any injury accidents have occurred on the Manawaru road in the last 15 years!

[scumdog]

Did you make a complaint about the bad driving? The cops can't be everywhere and they rely on receiving information from the public to apprehend dangerous drivers.

Why don't you start reporting bad driving to the authorities instead of writing letters to newspapers.

Damn tooting right!!!! If every dickhead driver thought he had to watch himself ALL the time and not just when cops are around he might just sit up and take notice (if he had a brain he would - but thats another issue)
I have known of quite a few successful complaints, including one of mine (bitch went not guilty but lost in court, nyah!).

Just because EVERY complaint you make doesn't hit pay-dirt doesn't mean don't bother, eventually if the bad driver gets enough tickets his licence could be pulled. (it's not just speeding that gets demerit points)