Safer Journeys Action Plan 2013-2015 launched

Associate Transport Minister Michael Woodhouse launched the Safer Journeys Action Plan 2013-15 at Parliament today.

The Safer Journeys Action Plan 2013-15 will address the most complex and multi-dimensional road safety problems and represents a transformative approach to the Safer Journeys goal of a safe road system increasingly free of death and serious injury.

“Under this action plan, the National Road Safety Committee will champion cross-agency plans and wider partnerships to achieve successful outcomes.

“In recent times we have seen some positive results – over the past four years the numbers of people killed or injured in crashes declined by around 20 per cent. But while progress has been made, more still needs to be done.

“Our roads are not as safe as they could be and we need to keep working on strengthening all aspects – vehicles, speed, roads and roadsides and road use,” Minister Woodhouse says.

Initial milestones for the Action Plan 2013-15 include:

• a high-risk intersection programme identifying the 100 highest risk intersections and develop solutions for at least 30
• a vehicle fleet programme looking at the exit of older, less safe vehicles from New Zealand roads
• options for blood alcohol concentration limits for various classes of driver to reflect risk
• a speed management programme focusing on appropriate travel speeds for different types of roads

The 2011-12 action plan contained 108 individual actions — with approximately 90 per cent of them being completed or underway. The 2013-15 plan looks at issues like alcohol and speed across the safe system — roads and roadsides, users, vehicles, and speed.

“Taking a system-wide approach and sharing responsibility with stakeholders, partners and the public gives us the greatest chance of making our roads safer for everyone and builds on the great work achieved from the first action plan.

“Since 2010 the government has introduced significant changes, including those designed to improve the safety of young drivers and motorcyclists, and reduce the harm caused by high risk drivers.

“Even with these recent improvements, we need to continue to be vigilant to meet the challenges ahead, and every New Zealander needs to share responsibility for making our roads safe, the government can’t do this alone,” Mr Woodhouse says.

The Safer Journeys Action Plan 2013-2015 is available at:
www.saferjourneys.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Safer-Journeys-Action-plan-2013-2015.pdf