20 April 2001
Road Safety Spending in Canterbury Up 50%
"Over the past year the Government boosted the amount spent on community road safety projects in Canterbury by 50%,"
Waimakariri Member of Parliament Clayton Cosgrove announced today.
"The government spent more than $688,000.00 on community road safety projects in the Canterbury region over the past
year, which is a boost of more than $342,500.00," Mr Cosgrove said.
"The previous Government froze road safety education spending for six long years – we scrapped this. Last year we
demonstrated our commitment to saving lives by nearly doubling the total spent on community road safety initiatives."
"We are spending $3 million more each year on community road safety initiatives."
"We are committed to curbing the road toll and saving lives. We believe the way to reduce road trauma is a multi-pronged
approach, which must include education – something the previous Government failed to invest in. We need to educate
drivers to change their attitudes."
"Our government is working on all fronts to make our roads safer for all New Zealanders. "
The amount distributed recognises both the population mix and road safety risk in each area.
"Community road safety workers need to be congratulated for the work they do in our communities to make our roads safer
for all users."
"Over the years, tens of thousands of New Zealanders have been maimed and killed on our roads: 2,667 lives have been
lost since 1996. In 1999 the fiscal impact of this carnage amounted to $3.1 billion with property damage alone totaling
nearly $400 million."
"However the price paid by those left behind is immeasurable. Between 1996 and 2000, 277 motorists, passengers and
pedestrians were killed Canterbury roads: that's 277 mums and dads, sons and daughters who never made it home."
"I would like to urge all of us to think carefully each time we get behind the wheel and to drive to survive." Mr
Cosgrove said
ENDS