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2007 Road Toll Up On Last Year - Min. Of Transport

Four hundred and twenty two people died on New Zealand roads last year – 29 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.

Tables with historical crash statistics, fatality rates and regional breakdowns follow this statement or are attached below.

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ENDS

ROAD TOLL TABLES


Road Deaths Update as at Monday, 31 December 2007

        2007 Road Deaths year to date: 422
        At the same time last year: 393
 
 
       
Key Statistics      
  2006 2007  
Number of fatal crashes to date: 350 376  
       
Males killed: 265 282  
Females killed: 128 140  
       
       
       
       
       
       
Fatalities      
  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 46
TOTAL 405 393 422
       
       
       
Casualty Types      
  2005 2006 2007
Drivers             202 192 201
Passengers          123 107 118
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 405 393 422
       
Casualty Ages      
  2005 2006 2007
0-14 yrs 31 26 27
15-19 yrs 85 62 65
20-24 yrs 50 41 66
25-39 yrs 66 78 97
40-59 yrs 102 94 91
60 + yrs 70 91 74
unknown  1 1 2
TOTAL 405 393 422
       

New Zealand Road Deaths Data, 1990-2006

  Deaths per:
Year Road deaths Population (million) Vehicles (million) 100,000 population 10,000 vehicles
1990 729 3.41 2.20 21.4 3.3
1991 650 3.45 2.22 18.8 2.9
1992 646 3.49 2.23 18.5 2.9
1993 600 3.52 2.24 17.0 2.7
1994 580 3.58 2.29 16.2 2.5
1995 582 3.64 2.35 16.0 2.5
1996 514 3.72 2.38 13.8 2.2
1997 539 3.76 2.39 14.3 2.3
1998 501 3.79 2.44 13.2 2.1
1999 508 3.81 2.51 13.3 2.0
2000 462 3.83 2.60 12.1 1.8
2001 455 3.85 2.63 11.8 1.7
2002 405 3.94 2.71 10.3 1.5
2003 461 4.01 2.80 11.5 1.6
2004 435 4.06 2.92 10.7 1.5
2005 405 4.10 3.03 9.9 1.3
2006 393 4.14 3.12 9.5 1.3
2007 422 4.23 3.19 10.0 1.3

Road Deaths Update: Local Government Region

Local Government Region 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Northland 33 30 23 30 30
Auckland 81 93 77 84 61
Waikato 79 72 93 65 90
Bay of Plenty 52 36 25 36 35
Gisborne & Hawkes Bay 33 18 41 29 34
Taranaki 10 15 13 12 10
Manawatu / Wanganui 31 40 32 31 41
Wellington 34 32 20 32 15
Nelson / Marlborough 15 18 8 10 10
West Coast 5 10 6 4 6
Canterbury 52 45 45 34 55
Otago 21 18 16 16 24
Southland 15 8 6 10 11
Total 461 435 405 393 422
 

Anna Gilbert,
Media & Communication Adviser,
Ministry of Transport

Source: Ministry of Transport

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