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So far this year there have been 24 road deaths in Otago and 11 in Southland. There were also 24 deaths in Otago in 2007.
In Southland, there were eight last year and 12 in 2018.
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In the last two weeks alone, four people have lost their lives in accidents in the region.
Yesterday, one person died and another was injured in an accident on State Highway1.
Emergency services were called for the accident in Hillgrove, near Moeraki, at 3 p.m.,
where two helicopters, along with police, firefighters and St John were at the scene.
And, as tourists prepare to hit the roads in droves over the next few weeks, police are pleading with motorists to drive safely and make sure they get home.
Dunedin Sergeant Major Nik Leigh said impaired driving, speed, distraction and people not wearing seat belts had been factors in several serious accidents this year.
Accident hot spots included the northern and southern approaches to Oamaru, Moeraki, the roads between Dunedin and Evansdale and Dunedin and Milton, and the northern and southern approaches to Balclutha.
The difference between a close accident and a serious or fatal accident could be down to luck, he said.
“It’s tragic, at the end of the day. These are people who won’t be there for Christmas, they won’t be there for wedding anniversaries, they won’t be there for birthdays.
“They are all tragedies and absolutely unnecessary.”
Because people were unable to travel abroad on vacation, New Zealand’s roads were likely to get busier as people traveled through the country.
That meant people had to consider fatigue when traveling long distances, he said.
Police also continued to detect people driving at “ridiculous” speeds in urban areas, and with school out of school during the summer, there would be more children away from home.
“Someone traveling at those speeds will not have time to react if a child passes by.”
The silly season was called that for a reason, and many people would take pleasure in the Christmas and New Year holidays.
That is why a dedicated disability prevention team has been established to ensure that people are not drinking and driving.
“We will be out there, we will be visible and we will breath tests everyone.”
Snr Sgt Leigh acknowledged that people could become insensitive to security messages.
They thought it could never happen to them, but it could, and it did.
“We all have families, we all travel. That could easily be one of us.”
the Otago Daily Times has released a three-part series, Not coming home, which examines the toll roads of terror in the South. This year, Otago has had the highest number of road deaths since 2007 and 11 lives have been lost in Southland. As people from the South hit the road on vacation, there’s a simple message: stay alert and get home safely.
On Monday, police reporter Daisy Hudson will report on the officers dealing with death on our highways and the price she charges them. On Tuesday he will explore the long, painful and traumatic aftermath of serious accidents and speak with Dunedin medical staff, as well as a courageous woman whose head injury 30 years ago changed her life forever.
