Police are urging motorists to slow down amid a spate of crashes in Manawatū – and after catching a slew of errant drivers, including one doing 144km/h on a highway near Woodville.
Over the last 48 hours, Sergeant Ryan Harrison said officers had observed "worrying speeds" on local roads – despite a heavy roading police presence.
Road police found a range of dangerous behaviour over the holiday period, including a driver detected travelling 144km/h on the Te Ahu a Turanga Highway near Woodville.
A drunk driver blew 854mcg – more than three times the legal limit.
One motorist was caught travelling 110km/h along Fitzherbert Ave in Palmerston North, in a posted speed limit zone of 50km/h, while another was spotted travelling at 124km/h in an 80km/h zone near Bunnythorpe.
Meanwhile, a driver was was doing 132km/h heading into Ashhurst in the rain, while another clocked 133km/h leaving Sanson township.
"There have been a number of serious tragic crashes in the district," Harrison said.
"We want people to be able to visit family and friends safely yet we’ve found way too many drivers speeding over the Christmas-New Year period."
He said it was "frustrating", especially as motorists pulled over for speeding were "cross about being caught".
"But we see the crashes these speeds can cause and nobody wants to be part of that."
Harrison urged: "It’s simple. Simply slow down. Please.
"If we lower our speed on the roads from an average of 102km/h to 98km/h then we estimate it would save 52 lives every year."
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