11 September 2019

Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) and Auckland Transport (AT) have joined forces to improve the safety of Aucklanders as we travel on our roads, trains, buses and ferries.

A week after AT and its partners announced the Vision Zero road safety strategy, ACC has invested $5 million in AT’s safety programmes to improve safety on our transport network and reduce road trauma.

Auckland is a rapidly growing region - with many more people driving, walking and cycling to work, school or play.

Dame Paula Rebstock, ACC Chair and AT Board member, says both organisations share a common goal of reducing harm on our roads.

“AT has the knowledge and expertise in road safety research programmes and is an ideal testing ground for future safety initiatives for ACC.

“ACC works at a national level with a number of road safety partners and has made a significant contribution to the Ministry of Transport’s Road to Zero strategy. The opportunity to explore different types of safety programmes with AT lays the groundwork for future collaboration between a larger number of agencies like AT.”

Auckland Transport Board chair Dr Lester Levy says 2018 was the worst on New Zealand’s roads since 2009.

“Too many people are dying or being seriously injured on our roads. We are determined to bring this number down to zero. Working together with our partner – ACC is another step in reducing road trauma. I appreciate their investment in our safety programme and look forward to building on our collaboration with them.”

In 2018, 58 people lost their lives and an additional 595 were seriously injured on our roads in Auckland. All of this road trauma amounts to approximately 30 per cent of New Zealand’s new motor vehicle claims to ACC.

Māori are disproportionately represented in Auckland’s death and serious injuries on the road and part of the $5 million ACC investment will be used within Māori communities.

ACC is interested in AT’s safety programmes like Te Ara Haepapa. Te Ara Haepapa is a unique Māori road safety programme in New Zealand - developed in partnership with marae, kura kaupapa and the community.

Te Ara Haepapa is delivered within a Māori context by Te Reo speaking staff and covers a wide range of high-risk road safety themes - including child restraint use, alcohol, speed and young drivers licensing. In addition, a road safety and active transport programme is currently under development and being delivered in collaboration with nine kura kaupapa in Auckland.

Other AT programmes of interest to ACC are AT’s focus on reducing distractions while driving and in its projects to improve safety for people walking, people riding bicycles and motorcycles.

- ENDS -

© Scoop Media