Police are focusing on truck safety in Auckland as heavy vehicle movements increase in the lead up to Christmas.
Commercial Vehicle Investigation Police (CVIU) staff will be working together with other road policing partners with a focus on preventing and detecting vehicle defects, overloading, fatigue, impaired driving and other safety issues.
“With Christmas fast approaching the amount of freight moving over a short period will increase dramatically, putting greater demands on both drivers and vehicles,” says Inspector Gwynne Pennell, Manager CVIU.
“These inspections are eliminating the increased risk of impaired or tired drivers travelling greater distances on our roads, and ensuring that the vehicles making the journey are safe.”
Because of their large mass, trucks tend to be over-represented in serious crashes.
In recent years, deaths from crashes involving trucks have made up 15-19% of the total road toll, while trucks only account for 6% of the total distance travelled on New Zealand roads.
The truck driver does not cause about two-thirds of the fatal crashes involving trucks.
“We want to keep both the drivers of these heavy motor vehicles safe and also those who share the roads with them,” says Inspector Pennell.
“These safety inspections will help contribute towards achieving that,” he says.
