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A leading road safety campaigner has accused the government of hypocrisy after the Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee blamed the age of the vehicle fleet for slowing down improvements in road safety.
Clive Matthew-Wilson, who edits the car review website dogandlemon.com, says the government has consistently blocked many affordable and effective moves to lower the road toll.
Today’s serious crash on a notorious stretch of State Highway 1 near Paraparaumu could easily have been prevented, says a leading road safety campaigner.
Clive Matthew-Wilson, editor of the car review website dogandlemon.com, says the high number of serious injuries and deaths will continue on the unprotected sections of the highway until median barriers are installed.
All high-risk roads should be urgently fitted with a wire rope centre barrier to prevent head-on collisions, says a leading road safety campaigner.
Clive Matthew-Wilson, editor of the car review website dogandlemon.com, was commenting after today’s fatal crash at Hunterville. The accident was caused by one car drifting into the path of another.
“This is the second fatal head-on collision this holiday weekend that could easily have been prevented. All that was needed was a wire rope median barrier to separate opposing lanes of traffic.”
Headlights on to survive Christmas
All vehicles on the road should have their headlights on over Christmas, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.
Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson says:
“A car with its headlights on is easier to spot than a car with its headlights off. It’s that simple.”
Matthew-Wilson pointed to World Health Organisation statistics showing that vehicles using daytime running lights have a crash rate 10-15% lower than those that do not.
The owner of a the first car seized and crushed under anti-boy racer legislation will be seen as a hero by his mates, says road safety campaigner Clive Matthew-Wilson.
Matthew-Wilson, who edits the car review website dogandlemon.com, says:
“Yesterday, the owner of the first crushed car was just another boy racer with an attitude problem. Today he will be a hero to his fellow boy racers.”
Matthew-Wilson says the boy racer’s car that was seized by police was “probably next-to worthless anyway”.
The government should postpone car emissions regulations planned for next year, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.
Dogandlemon.com editor Clive Matthew-Wilson says the existing regulations – aimed at reducing the pollution produced by cars – are having exactly the opposite effect.
Australia’s politicians need to spell out how long they’re prepared to prop up Australia’s ailing car assembly industry, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.
Dogandlemon.com editor Clive Matthew-Wilson says:
Car buyers are being warned not to purchase Saab cars, because the company producing Saab vehicles appears unlikely to survive, having recently filed for bankruptcy protection for the second time in three years.
The car review website dogandlemon.com warns that Saab cars are still being offered by dealers without any mention that the parent company is in serious trouble.
New Zealand and Australian motorists who choose European cars are often buying some of the world's worst lemons, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.
Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson says:
“New Zealand motorists often think they are getting an upmarket vehicle when they buy a European brand. However, the opposite is true: European vehicles are generally poorly built, unreliable and expensive to fix.”
Today’s serious crash on a notorious stretch of State Highway 1 near Paraparaumu could easily have become a multiple fatality, says the doctor who attended the accident.
Dr Chris Lane, director of the Kapiti Emergency Medical Services, says:
“A speeding four-wheel drive, driven by a disqualified driver, failed to take a bend, crossed the centre line and rolled down a bank. It’s a miracle that there wasn’t a serious head-on collision.”
