Balloons for Beehive Safety Goons

The Beehive may burst with balloons today. 120 'Kiwi Green' balloons each representing a fatal cannabis crash in the past year, were delivered to MPs in special road safety kits today. Candor (Campaign Against Drugs on Roads) took the initiative, because the fact this Sunday is the UN Global Road Victim Day, seemingly passed by State Sector notice.

MP's were requested to release their special edition “Dak, Drink, Drive, Die” Balloon on Sunday, to honor Kiwi road victims be they survivors, families or no more visible anymore than a road side cross. In the UK over 30 remembrance events are planned, so Candor Trust say it's not nice how NZ's road Victims were snubbed.

'But we're not letting our Leaders away with it', said Co-ordinator Rachael Ford. The Emergency Awareness Raising Kits mean they've no excuse for ignorance, apathy or disinterest next year. Nor for drug driving anymore. The sad thing is most people – that includes MP's I think - believe serious road damage is irrelevant to them. But mortality statistics show road crash is the cause of death for around one in 50 on Transit's killing fields. Crashes and hospitalisations are up'.

'Marijuana is Candor's Xmas focus for 2 reasons. It was shown to be present in nearly half of crash victims in early results from a Police study. Two thirds of the time in combination with some alcohol – an explosive mix. Secondly a lot of misinformation has taken root over the years. So people are sadly misled to believe it's driver safe, much recent quality research says otherwise'.

The road safety kits explain the current state of the Nation so far as Road Safety goes. So all MP's should now be aware that priorities are based upon addressing the greatest risks for which legal sanctions can be applied. These don't necessarily align with the greatest actual risks. General Deterrence based Policy has been rejected overseas, say Candor – but we're still behind the play.

'Drowsy inattention is what the statistics point to as our biggest problem, and that is often drug abuse related'. According to Ms Ford people are often stunned to hear that over the limit speed is not a factor in 82% of fatal smashes in NZ (MOT fact sheet). 'But Victims, and the survivors who analyse their crashes know the current Road Safety Program is fairly misleading, and oh so wrongly focused.'

The real problem, say Candor Members and their sister Organisation Akilla Sleep Safety, is that as fatigue and drug driving are not subject to Police enforcement measures they've been put on the scrap heap and determinedly ignored. Therein lies the cause of far too many tragedies.

'Take the case of Luke Voice. This guy wrote off 3 cars while smashed on drugs, wasn't drug tested as Police generally don't bother with that and so got sentenced following the typical “careless driving” charge to a driving skills course'.

40 days later he killed an innocent Grandmother in a head on, after taking a cocktail of sedating drugs and being careful to drive at round 80k just like the Granny, but in his case surely to avoid attention.'Cases like these are all too common – dealing with drunks is dealing with less than half the problem', say Candor.

'We're hoping the MP's will understand drug driving is a serious daytime threat, that causes a Lions share of the toll and must be addressed urgently. The body count is sickening, in failing to implement Emergency cannabis testing, at the very least, while laws get sorted the Government actively encourages offenders to commit GBH on us and our families'

For 5 long years many Victims have been wailing, but it's like dealing with a brick wall. Lately they bought in voluntary drug testing on the quiet. There's an anticlimax. If Victims don't see real action soon a hunger strike might well become an option. As a fund raiser initially, showing solidarity with those who can no longer dine, being 6 foot under. Thanks solely to ignorant Policy.

Candor Members are discussing more heavyweight options for progress if the balloon drop doesn't finally tweak the Houses conscience - as the matter is really so serious. 'Why should Kiwis alone suffer from this on road lawlessness', Ms Ford asks.

'People should be able to travel safely in the knowledge Police resources are targeting human hazards, and not just so they can get convictions for P possession. Driving under the influence is surely more of an immediate public danger - they need disqualification not fines for what ever may be in the boot'

New Zealand'
s lack of support for Global Victim Day just drives home how invisible trauma victims are to Labour, Candor claim. 'Because prisons are bulging they don't want to treat dangerous drug drivers how they should. Even Malaysia has routine drug testing by now, yet our drug driving army is licensed to kill'.

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