One less road death in 2011 | Manawatu-Wanganui News | Local News in Manawatu-Wanganui

Seven people were killed in six crashes in the Wanganui area during 2011, one fewer fatality than the year before.

Figures obtained via the Whanganui Police show four men and three women were killed in the six crashes, of which two occurred in Wanganui, three in Marton and one in Hunterville (State Highway 1).

Four of the people killed were over the age of 50, while the youngest was 16 year-old Wanganui girl Tymeka Wheeler, who was a passenger in a vehicle which crashed south of Hunterville.

Of the deaths, five drivers, one passenger and one motorcyclist were killed, three of whom died on state highways.

October was the worst month for fatal crashes in Wanganui with three deaths from two crashes.

The most recent fatal crash was 39-year-old motorcyclist Lisa McKenna, who died in Wanganui Hospital after crashing into a power pole on October 22, 2011.

In Central District as a whole, there were 34 crashes, resulting in 37 deaths, while nationally, 284 people were killed on New Zealand's roads, almost 100 fewer than the year before.

Eight deaths in seven crashes were recorded in Wanganui in 2010 out of a total of 55 people who died as a result of 49 crashes in the Central District.

Whanganui Police area commander Inspector Sue Schwalger said in the past year, a noticeable trend had been a decrease in speeds recorded in urban areas since a camera car had been deployed to the Wanganui area.

To help ensure local people were driving safely, the Whanganui strategic traffic group had become more focused on vehicle safety checks, restraints and enforcing graduated licence conditions for inexperienced, high-risk drivers though checkpoints and patrols.

Visibility was key to prevention and safety on the roads and there was a push to have as many patrols out and about at the right time, so intelligence played a pivotal role, she said.

Other initiatives included the combined deployment of highway patrol and the traffic alcohol group in the city, increasing the police presence and sending a strong message that drivers prepared to put others at risk will be caught.

Another development which increased road safety were new "smart" devices which linked directly to the police computer system, allowing real time issuance of tickets and allowing police to increase their productivity.

To drive the road toll down, police would continue to target drivers through operations within the city and on highways to reinforce the safe driving messages.

A Central District-wide "see something, do something" philosophy was being promoted, meaning all units were expected to act in the event they see an infringement occurring.