The five-day stretch starting from Friday, October 7 until Tuesday, October 10 could be termed ‘horror week’ on the New Zealand roads.
This period witnessed a total of seven crashes, 18 injuries and 15 deaths which obviously left behind a concerned police and road safety authorities and a large number of families grieving behind.
These accidents have occurred on the roads of both North and South islands bringing loss and grief to families and the community.
This brings the road toll for 2017 to 297 from 254 in 2016, which is 43 deaths more than last year for the same period of time. This is a scary figure given that two months are still remaining for this year to finish and the total number of deaths last year was 329.
This spurt in road incidents has raised serious concerns for the police as the labour weekend is approaching next week.
Generally, long weekends are the time when more people get behind the wheels of their vehicles and hit roads and congesting traffics and creating more chances of road accidents.
The police has earlier this week appealed the public to comply with the rules and share the responsibility of using the roads safely.
Assistant Commissioner Road Policing, Sandra Venables says major causes of these road fatalities have been over speeding, fatigue, losing control and crossing the centre-line of the road.
Besides losses in the families, more than 18 people were injured in these accidents including a 10-month old toddler who was admitted to Rotorua hospital in a critical condition after the fatal crash in Taupo on Tuesday, October 10.
Assistant Commissioner Road Policing, Sandra Venables said these fatalities would have left families devastated up and down the country.
“Every death is reported as a number, but each number has a face, a name and a family. They leave behind loved ones whose lives have been changed forever.
“Those that have been seriously injured can face months, if not years, of rehabilitation and treatment.
“We cannot continue to tolerate the loss." Ms Venebles added.
The death toll included a five-year-old Hone Te Ahurei Hawkins Kanuta, from Kaikohe who was one among the four who died along with other three in a head-on car crash in Taupo.
“Every time you get behind the wheel you hold your life and the lives of your passengers and your fellow road users in your hands. Please take this responsibility seriously – wear your seat belt, make sure your passengers are wearing seatbelts, watch your speed and drive to the conditions,” Ms Venebles appealed to the public.