NEW ZEALAND
ROAD SAFETY EXPERIMENT
- WHO DUNNIT?
3014* DIED
IN TRANSIT (2000-2006)
500-1200*(Link)
OF THOSE LIVES MIGHT EASILY HAVE BEEN SAVED
OECD
countries of similar wealth reduced crash social
costs by 4% yearly but -
- New Zealanders have twice the road death odds
of many other nationals, deaths per capita down
by <2% yearly the last decade (statistically
insignificant), hospitalisations rose 25% since
2000
- In 2006 we’d
climbed to being in the top 3 of 29 IRTAD
countries for killing kids under 15 on roads per
1000 head. We're 3rd for
killing 15-24 year olds, showing our graduated
license system & ‘parents as
trainers" system are losers. Europe’s
experience shows pro tuition cuts crashes 60%.
- Between
2000 - 2006 fatal or serious injury causing
crash numbers steadily rose from 2152 to 2485.
Total injury causing crashes rose from 7830 to
10943. Hospitalisations rose from 5986 (2000) to
7427 (2006).
- The goal
for hospitalisations by 2010 which would bring
us in line with best countries, but only at the
year 2000 is 4500.
- Between
2001-2006 Accident Compensation motor vehicle
crash new claim rose near 30% & costs from
53.9 to 75.7 million.
- Checkpoints
- Oft unsafe Police chases (heavy enforcement,
not engineering focus) having more than doubled
in number since 2002. Related deaths and
injuries tripled in recent years (average of 39
yearly).
- In 2000
road crashes incurred a 3 billion social cost,
Government’s 2010 target was a little over
2.15 billion, but by 2006 it had risen to 3.5
billion. A third world proportion of GDP that
should have Dr Surplus Cullen perturbed.
It seems not
though. A Government report (Duignan - Evaluation of
road safety to 2010 policy November 2004) just says
(despite obvious policy failure) let’s soldier on.
Let’s, just change how we measure toll harm. In
future, unlike others, we’ll just look at
hospitalisations - the least damning measure as many
victims dodge admission,
The need to
save face comes from New Zealand’s road safety
model being hawked
elsewhere
(Link)
in defiance of
damning results. Because "If cost-effectiveness
analyses of injury interventions were able to
document high returns, they could help to encourage
widespread efforts for implementation (in low income
countries)". Source; resource-allocation..com
The NZ study
needs a post mortem now - not in 2010 for by then we’ll
have 15,000 injury crashes, & double the target
social costs yearly. Those acting as proponents for
the unethical New Zealand Road Safety Experiment
require scrutiny, for possible scientific
misconduct.
- with
policies addressing fatigue & drug
impairments (as in Victoria) 400+, with safer
highway’s as in Sweden 900+ would have lived
Tourist
warning
Drug driving is rampant, trucks are Kings
of undivided highways, drivers gain licenses pass
just by knowing 33 of 35 multi-choice questions from
a small set of viewable tests. Poor skill shows in a
high violation rate. Invest in safer model rental
cars, skimping is not worth it - consider NZ roads
on a par with the coca highways of South America.
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