2007 Road Toll Rises on Last Year

Four hundred and twenty three people died on New Zealand roads last year - 30 more than in 2006.
 
The 2007 toll is an increase on the record low toll of 2006. Ministry of Transport spokeswoman Anna Gilbert said there have been nearly 4,600 deaths and 132,000 injuries from crashes on our roads over the past 10 years.
 
More than 35,000 people have been killed on the road since New Zealand's first known fatal crash in Christchurch in 1908. The deadliest year on our roads was 1973, when 843 were killed. The lowest road toll in over 40 years was in 2006. 

As recently as 1990 there were 729 road deaths in New Zealand each year. Since then annual road deaths have dropped by 42 percent, in spite of a 45 percent increase in the number of vehicles on the road and a 24 percent increase in population. 

The Government has set a target of no more than 300 road deaths per year by 2010 and proposed a target of no more than 200 fatalities per year by 2040. Annual road fatalities will need to be brought down by 29 percent over the next two years to reach the first target.
 
Preliminary analysis shows that driving too fast for the conditions and drink-driving were the two biggest factors in fatal crashes last year, with excessive speed a factor in 30 percent and drink-driving contributing to 30 percent. Twenty five percent of the vehicle occupants killed last year were not wearing seatbelts.
 

Comparison of Road Deaths 2007 & 2006

2007 Road Deaths year to date:	423
At the same time last year:	393

 

Key Statistics

	2006	2007
Number of fatal crashes to date:	350	377
Males killed:	265	282
Females killed:	128	141

   

Fatalties

	2005	2006	2007
January	30	40	39
February	52	27	19
March	37	31	39
April	37	27	38
May	44	35	28
June	32	32	38
July	30	27	38
August	22	36	32
September	25	31	30
October	27	40	34
November	28	21	41
December	41	46	47
TOTAL	405	393	423

 

Casualty Types

	2005	2006	2007
Drivers	202	192	201
Passengers	123	107	119
Motor Cycle Riders	34	35	37
Motor Cycle Pillions	3	3	4
Pedestrians	31	44	46
Pedal Cyclists	12	9	12
Other	-	3	4
Unknown	-	-	-
TOTAL	405	393	423

  

Casualty Ages

	2005	2006	2007
0-14 yrs	31	26	27
15-19 yrs	85	62	65
20-24 yrs	50	41	68
25-39 yrs	66	78	97
40-59 yrs	102	94	91
60 + yrs	70	91	75
unknown	1	1	-
TOTAL	405	393	423

 
For further information contact Anna Gilbert, Media & Communication Adviser, Ministry of Transport, Ph 04 439 9238, Cell 021 569 441