Zero road deaths aim

Eliminating road deaths is the Government’s aim.

A ‘Vision Zero” approach to road safety is being investigated as part of the development of a new road safety strategy, replacing the Safer Journeys model which ends in 2020.

It will outline steps to reduce deaths and serious injuries over the coming decade and is expected to be ready by September 2019.

The strategy will also include consideration of broader harms to health, such as road-related air and noise pollution and physical inactivity.

Targets, outcomes and performance measures will be developed alongside an action plan that considers interventions from across the road safety system.

The Ministry of Transport will lead the strategy development in partnership with other agencies.

It will be overseen by a National Road Safety Committee and a Ministerial Group focused on road safety. An expert technical advisory group will also be established.

Associate transport minister Julie Anne Genter says messages from the Local Government Road Safety Summit last week include·the need for central government to set clear national and regional road safety targets to reduce deaths and injuries, strong support for a ‘Vision Zero” approach,·greater funding assistance for safety projects generally, simpler processes to implement low-cost safety improvements and enable targeted changes to speeds limits; and cycling and walking safety improvements – particularly for children.

Genter says a newly released 2015 evaluation of the previous government’s road safety strategy (Safer Journeys) highlights the need for ambitious national road safety targets and political leadership in road safety.

“Some of the ideas should be able to be implemented fairly quickly as part of this year’s work programme, while others will be considered as part of the development of a new road safety strategy,” Genter says.

“Officials will publish a report in the coming weeks outlining how ideas and priorities identified at the summit will be progressed by central government.”

New Zealand’s road toll began rising in 2013, reversing the trend of the previous decade.