Global Road Safety Partnership deeply concerned at the New Zealand draft Speed Rule
The Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP), a global road safety international organisation based in Switzerland that has been leading road safety work internationally for over 25 years has expressed its grave concerns about the increase in road trauma that will occur if the draft Speed Rule is approved and speeds increase.
The GRSP, in their formal submission sent to the Ministry of Transport, have specifically highlighted:
- New Zealand has international commitments to reducing road trauma as part of the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety target of halving road crash deaths and injuries by 2030.
- New Zealand also has international road safety commitments to the Stockholm Declaration, UN Resolutions and Political Declaration that the draft Rule contradicts.
- A report from an eminent Expert Advisory Group commissioned by the Swedish government in preparation for the 2020 Stockholm Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety set out clear evidence on the major road safety benefits of speed reduction.
- A recent publication from the World Bank (2024) comprehensively explains the economic benefits of effective speed management and also counters claims that higher speeds equate with economic benefits. The World Bank plays a critical role in advancing economic development.
- Both Auckland Transport’s recent speed limit reduction initiatives and those of Waka Kotahi NZTA have resulted in major reductions in road crash deaths and injuries and have demonstrated their life saving impact.
- Increased speeds also result in increased fuel use and CO2 emissions which work directly against commitments to reduce transport emissions.
GRSP’s Chief Executive Officer, Dave Cliff said:
“The evidence is clear, when mean vehicle speeds increase, more people are killed and seriously inured.
There has been excellent progress made in New Zealand over recent years in reducing speed limits to those that are closer to meeting “safe system” principles and many lives saved as a result.
If this Rule is adopted, it will result in more New Zealanders being killed and seriously injured and substantial additional costs being inflicted on New Zealand’s health and rehabilitation services. “
Dave Cliff is currently in New Zealand and is available for interview. He can be contacted at email Dave.Cliff@ifrc.org.
