Road Safety Week is this week - let's make it count

On Monday 12 May, Road Safety Week commenced around New Zealand. The week is about celebrating our road safety heroes and recognising how we could do better with our driving every day.

Our very own #LOVETAUPŌ sign has been lit and ribbons placed along Te Ātea lakefront to commemorate those we have lost on Taupō District roads in 2024. Five lives, ranging in age from 25 to 76, gone too soon. They were parents, siblings, friends, colleagues, and much-loved members of our community.

Fatigue was a factor in several of these crashes. It affects your reaction time and focus long before you actually fall asleep at the wheel.

Tips for avoiding fatigue:

• If you’re heading away, plan ahead.
• Get a good night’s sleep.
• Take breaks every two hours.
• Share the driving.
• Stay hydrated.

Be the reason someone makes it home.

This week we also celebrate our road safety heroes. Visit your local library in Taupō, Tūrangi and Mangakino to read local rescue stories our heroes have been a part of.