NZTA issues safety warning

The NZTA is encouraging drivers heading away for Queen’s Birthday weekend in the Auckland and Northland region to take care and be prepared for heavy traffic, delays and changeable weather.

"It’s one of the busiest weekends on New Zealand roads, particularly on Friday night as people head away for the long weekend," says Auckland operations manager Rua Pani.

"MetService is forecasting a change in the weather with showers and low temperatures in the region over the weekend, so it’s important that drivers stay alert, be patient and don’t rush."

"We want people to arrive safely at their destinations and get home again without incident."

Last Queen’s Birthday weekend, there were two fatal crashes and 118 reported injury crashes across the country, with 42 per cent of crashes involving single vehicles where drivers lost control or ran off the road.

"Make sure everyone has their seatbelts on; remove distractions and stay focused on driving; don’t get behind the wheel if you’ve been drinking or are tired and drive at a safe speed for the conditions."

Motorists are advised to plan ahead to avoid peak traffic using the planner at nzta.govt.nz/holidayjourneys. Based on previous years’ travel patterns, the web page has maps and graphs showing the busiest times on state highway routes.