Media Release: Waikato Police, 29.12.15
Leave high speeds on the race track – Waikato Police
Police patrolling busy Waikato holiday routes are urging motorists to drive to the conditions and expect delays as thousands cross the district intending to reach the beach.
Officer in charge of the Waikato Highway Patrol, Senior Sergeant Steve Ambler, said one of the key things for those heading to the surf was to watch your speed and to expect delays.
“So far today (Tuesday 29th) our staff have attended six crashes of varying severity across the District including crashes in Raglan, the Karangahake Gorge, two in Netherton and two in Paeroa.”
“This call comes after two incidents yesterday in which drivers exhibited behaviours more appropriate to the racetrack as opposed to congested public roads.
“In the first incident a motorist was stopped travelling at 151km/h on SH27 near the Tahuna roundabout while a while later a group of overseas visitors were pulled over on SH1 heading north on the Waikato Expressway after they were recorded travelling at 180km/h.”
Mr Ambler said when the tourists were stopped the driver claimed he thought he was only travelling at 80km/h, an excuse Police had little time for.
“Both drivers had their licenses suspended for 28 days and our message here is with the roads clogged with holiday traffic you need to ensure the speed you are travelling at will allow you to react to anything another person might do on the roads and those speeds fall out of that by a long way.
Traffic is particularly built up at the intersection of SH2 and SH26 at Paeroa and the intersection of SH1 an SH29 at Pairere.
Mr Ambler said both intersections are astride major routes to popular east coast holiday spots and both routes are clogged with large numbers of holiday makers and people towing boats.
“Our message here is we want everyone to watch their speed this summer and drive to survive.
At the speeds recorded in the two incidents yesterday there was no room for error and while the weather is fine, increased numbers of vehicles on the road means drivers need more patience.”