the podcast on
I don鈥檛 mind telling you that for some years听- for decades actually -听I have听always taken听time to think about staying alive on the roads when I鈥檓 taking a long trip听鈥揺specially听in public holiday periods.听听听
It probably goes back to a time when I was a student working in forestry听and had to travel some distance each day,听driven by a听young听supervisor who听drove like he had听a death wish.听听听
I听honestly听used to wake up in the morning worried about getting from A to B听and home alive.听So,听I鈥檓听eternally听grateful to my work colleague who was the first one to speak up and say听鈥渉ey听-听if you鈥檙e not听going to听slow down you can stop the car and I鈥檓 getting out鈥.听
Ever since then,听I do take time to think about听how I鈥檓 going to approach driving whenever I take a long trip over the summer and so听-听yes,听I am very conscious about road safety.听
But I probably wasn鈥檛 the first person to听realise听that the whole Road to听Zero听campaign听was delusional. It seems that the last people to听realise听this听were the听responsible听government agencies who are now admitting failure听in听their attempts to make roads safer.听听听
Tragically,听the road toll has soared this year and is on a par with 2018, one of our worst years听in recent memory.听There听have,听of course,听been failures听at the ministry听of听both transport and police to meet certain targets. The police have not met speed targets for speed camera hours or the number of alcohol tests,听and听Waka Kotahi听has also missed targets听in regards to infrastructure听but听that听news would come as no surprise to anyone.听听听
Probably one thing听which听I imagine they have met the target on,听is听the production听and dissemination听of those odious ads designed to somehow terrify us into driving more safely听听听
Frankly I鈥檒l just be honest they just * me off听听听
I would suggest that听pushing the aspirational but听utterly听delusional target of听Road听to Zero听Rd听has听done nothing when it comes to get the public on听board.听It's听just led to a听bureaucratic听obsession听with grinding down the speed limits in this country听which in my view will make very little, if any,听difference听- except maybe magnifying people鈥檚听impatience which surely can鈥檛 be helpful.听听听
I鈥檓听reasonably听confident听that听our road toll would be听better听addressed if we simply made better decisions and were better drivers.听Obviously, road quality is an issue听but I can think of plenty of examples of tragic accidents which听were听the result of someone failing to stop at an intersection,听or being distracted,听or simply impatient听and overtaking in the wrong place.听听听
Obviously,听every death on the road is a tragedy but听I鈥檓 not sure that having a delusional target in the form of the听Road to听Zero campaign听gets anyone on board because it's simply not credible.听听听
I would prefer听it听if the bureaucrats and politicians would听focus instead on building better roads and driver听education听and quit the fear mongering听and听instead听create a听credible听campaign that everyone can听finally听relate to and believe听in. And hopefully then we will make a difference.听听
听
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