Speech Notes

LAUNCH OF ROAD SAFETY TRUST CAMPAIGN

Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you all for being here today for the launch of this very important – and much needed - campaign.

I’m sure like most of us, there have been times when you’ve approached roadworks and thought oh no, more delays, and felt frustrated.

And no doubt there have been times, particularly around unmanned roadworks, when you’ve been tempted to ignore the speed restrictions, confident that your driving skills are such that the limit couldn’t possibly apply to you, or simply observing that the speed restriction is unwarranted in your view because no work is currently occurring.

The trouble is there are just too many people who think that way. And the result is that drivers and passengers are getting seriously injured and killed around roadworks.

I note when this campaign was first suggested it was called the Silent Assassin, as only those who were close to the problem were aware of what was happening.

And it was them who decided to do something about it. This campaign was originally championed by the industry, who showed great concern for the many members of the public who were either destroying their cars, getting injured or in some cases killed at and around road work sites.

Despite the placement of cones, and signs to warn the motorists the accidents kept occurring. And the road workers themselves were often called upon to clean up after an accident had occurred, a very unpleasant task.

There is a perception that when signs are out there and there is no road works in sight that workers have just forgotten to take them in. This is sometimes the case, but often the signs have been left out because the new surface is still dangerous until it is consolidated. But in saying this, I have been assured by Roading New Zealand that roading companies have agreed to focus on ensuring that only signs that should be there will be there.

Today we are launching an excellent initiative championed by an industry group who recognized a problem and decided to take action to fix it.

And with the support of the Road Safety Trust, an organisation whose focus is on improved road safety in New Zealand and who work by encouraging communities, organizations and individuals to identify and work at road safety initiatives this campaign has come together.

The other real strength behind this campaign is that so many organisations have given their support, ACC, Land Transport NZ, Transit, the AA, the Police and many more. It’s great to see all the organisations working together.

Like Roading New Zealand and the Road Safety Trust, they recognise the need to make the driving public aware that the roadworks are not put there to frustrate motorists. They are not there to make people late for appointments. They are not there to arbitrarily impose unreasonable speed restrictions, although there is still room to improve the management of road works signage particularly after work has finished for the day.

They are there to improve the safety of our roads. The people who are working on them are working to make the roads safer for everyone.

You often hear people debating whether the number of accidents that occur is a result of dangerous roads or bad driving. Quite possibly the answer is both.

But if we work hard to make roadworks safer by improving our driving behavior then I am sure the horrifying statistics will reduce.

I am sure this campaign will have a positive impact on making people slow down and think as they drive through roadworks. Our road workers do a fantastic job. It’s hard work but very important. As the advertisements show us, they make the roads safer for us. In the interests of our own and their safety we should return the favor and make it safer for them too.

I am delighted to launch the Safety Around roadworks campaign and I commend Roading New Zealand and the Road Safety Trust for having the foresight and commitment to make it happen.