With winter weather settling in, Bay of Plenty motorists are reminded to adjust their driving to keep themselves and other road users safe.
“Simple guidelines for winter travelling include ensuring your vehicle is safe, always driving to the road and weather conditions, allowing more time for your travel, slowing down, being prepared for unexpected hazards and allowing greater following distance between you and the vehicle ahead,” said Transport Agency journey manager Nigel D’Ath.
“The room for mistakes is reduced when road and weather conditions are less favourable, and we don’t want anyone’s mistake to end in an avoidable tragedy.
“Most important though is to plan your journey, check weather and road conditions, choose the safest route if you have the option and if possible avoid travelling in extreme weather and road conditions.
“And remember road closures and restrictions are put in place for your protection and other road users, so please observe these.”
People travelling through the Bay of Plenty are also advised that they may encounter speed restrictions and other traffic management on state highways around the region this month, as Transport Agency contractors continue work on safety upgrades and major projects such as the Maungatapu underpass.
Drivers can get the most up to date information to help plan their trip via a dedicated website www.nzta.govt.nz/winterjourneys or by calling 0800 44 44 49 (0800 4 HIGHWAYS).
Bay of Plenty motorists can also go to www.drivelive.nz/BayofPlenty, a dedicated website that tells drivers what the current travel times are to get to key places around the region.
