What you need to know

The objectives document builds on the Government Policy Statement on land transport 2024, which directs investment toward road policing and enforcement, increased road maintenance and renewal activities, and cost-effective safety infrastructure. The objectives document is focused on achievable actions and resourcing the commitments outlined in the GPS.

Some of the Government’s key actions for improving road safety include:

• introducing roadside oral fluid drug testing
• reviewing penalties for traffic offences
• investing in new and safe Roads of National Significance and increasing road policing and enforcement
• improving the Graduated Driver Licensing System
• investigating new, targeted safety requirements for vehicles entering the fleet.

New Zealand’s Road Safety Objectives replaces Road to Zero.

New Zealand’s Road Safety Objectives 

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• Safe road use

  A Safe System assumes that even responsible road users will sometimes make mistakes. This does not mean that road users have no role to play in improving road safety.

• Safe speeds

  Our overall goal is to reduce the number of crashes and the severity of the crashes that do occur. Managing speed is crucial to this because the outcome of all crashes is strongly influenced by the impact speed.

• Safe vehicles

  A Safe System means we have a vehicle fleet where all of the cars, vans, motorcycles, buses and trucks have the latest proven vehicle safety technologies.

• Safe roads and roadsides

  Our long-term goal is to improve the safety of our roads and roadsides to significantly reduce the likelihood of crashes occurring and to minimise the consequences of those crashes that do occur.