Potty Police Cause Royal Road Toll
Candor Trust

“Candors Board isn't surprised it was the worst Birthday carnage in over a decade – the mismanagement of road safety that we’ve long sought an inquiry over is unlucky for many”, Rachael Ford said for the Trust today.

ACC road crash payouts just rose from 302m in 2007 to 336m, and spinal injuries numbers rose 50% in 5 years according to our latest OIA's. Bloody minded adherence to a fraudulent safety strategy jointly that is being run by the triad of ACC, Police, and NZTA (whose road safety advice is less dependable than your dog’s) is squarely to blame.

In preparation for the long weekend they lied about drink driving to the Public via the Dominion Post and other media, saying it is up 50% in 5 years and at an all time high, when it is down (per 100 drivers tested) by closer to 100%. The untrusty triad of ACC, Police and that barking Agency oft forced by it’s own incompetence to repeatedly undergo name changes, simultaneously hid the facts about other critical issues of the season. They suppressed the risks and countermeasures of fatigue and post pot harvest drug driving.

In withholding such essential safety information they (and media lackeys) knowingly went out of their way to again support the continuation of 150 deaths a year, and remained out of step with International best practice. Why would they be aspiring to trap Kiwis in a 1980’s road safety museum? Do these persistent road safety saboteurs actually believe that tourists want to go back to the future, and experience more primitive times?

Is it stupidity, dementia, denial or perhaps even sadism afflicting that part of the Public Service steering road safety? The Road Police Manager lately displayed a blonde moment, in flippantly advising safety conference attendees how useful checkpoints can be for finding drugs– sometimes 20 stashes. Fascinating dismissive-ness. One set up in Waitakere over Queens Birthday weekend is reported to have located drugs in up to 10 cars. Why aren't the drug possessing drivers having their driving fitness checked?

How much use do Police think that just confiscating the Jim Beam would be to prevent drink driving? That would be the logic of a dullard 5 year wouldn’t it, so why is drug snatching Police's current master-plan for confronting drug driving? In the UK, which has minimal impaired driving harm, the drug driving issue is addressed on roads and the DVLA removed about 1000 licenses from drug abusers reported unfit by their Drs last year.

New York also boasts low rates of impaired driving harm, because drink and drug driving (issues that often feed each other) are confronted with serious policing and penalties. They treat them as badly as we treat noisy boy racers, and actually remove offenders vehicles permanently. There is no strong ad campaign, just Police with powers to actually fear. One quarter of impaired driving arrests in a recent sting were for drugged not drunk driving. For some Officers the rate is 50% of their DUI apprehensions. Local negligence behind mass trauma should be prompting outrage “ at least as much as pig cruelty.

A sampling of campaigns and slogans delivered for Queens Birthday out in the real world reveals our insipid Governments isolationist stance.

“Now who’s laughing” – Scottish television advert
“Drug driving can ultimately kill you or another innocent road user.. The evidence proves it – if you take drugs don’t drive” – Irish Environment Minister
“There is zero tolerance for driving under the influence of illegal drugs” – Queensland Police
“Driving under (drug) influence is such a dangerous choice” – Canadian Police
“There is a serious and growing problem in regards to people driving whilst under the influence of drugs – Cheshire Constabulary
“Drink & drug drivers not only put their own lives at risk but also the lives of others – if you drive drunk or drugged expect to be caught” – Cambridgeshire Police.

“I’d let you drive me home if I thought we’d make it – just be aware pot can do more than get you wasted” – Australian poster campaign
“Tired – take a break and power-nap” – Australian slogan
“Yawning – a microsleep can kill” – Australian slogan

Ends

© Scoop Media