Lower speed tolerance only temporary - police

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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/motoring/news/article.cfm?c_id=9&objectid=10784435

3:52 PM Thursday Feb 9, 2012

Police have denied they are considering lowering the speed tolerance to 4km/h for the entire year.

Since Queen's Birthday weekend 2010, the tolerance has been lowered for speeding drivers to only 4km/h for public holidays, which police say has led to a drop in fatal crashes during these periods.

The lower tolerance is also to be used for the rest of February, however acting-assistant commissioner of operations Andy McGregor has rubbished reports the lower tolerance may be in place for the whole year.

"There is no consideration of making this a permanent reduced tolerance," Mr McGregor said.

"Overall, we have seen a reduction in the holiday road tolls since the introduction of the reduced tolerance but there is still a long way to go before we can be sure of any long-term results.

"Making the roads safer needs a comprehensive and concerted approach with everyone working together. Safer drivers on safer roads in safer vehicles all of the time and we are working with our road safety partners to achieve this.

"We know that if we can keep speeds down, we can keep crashes down and that is what we are looking for.

"If we can reduce speeds on the roads, we can reduce the number of crashes and the severity of any that may occur."

His comments come after acting Superintendent Rob Morgan told the Dominion Post police were "very seriously" considering making the change permanent.

"It will really be an evidence-based decision, it's about an assessment of whether it saves lives."

The lower speed tolerance was bought in for the Queens Birthday weekend 2010 after 12 people died on New Zealand roads during the Easter weekend. That Queen's Birthday saw a huge turnaround with only two deaths and a more than 30 per cent reduction in crashes.

Arguments on the benefits of the lower limit have been countered by Automobile Association motoring affairs general manager Mike Noon, who told the Dominion Post the focus should be on excessively fast or excessively slow drivers.

Clive Matthew-Wilson, editor of the Dog and Lemon Guide, agreed, saying the majority of fatal crashes occur at speeds below the legal limit.

He accused the police of "massaging the statistics to suit their argument".

"When the road toll goes down over a holiday weekend, the police claim credit. When it rises by nearly 50 per cent, as it did last Christmas, they blame the drivers. They can't have it both ways."

- HERALD ONLINE