The Coalition Government has decided to reverse blanket speed limit reductions introduced under the last government by July 2025.
This move is opposed by a wide range of health sector groups including the Society.
Nurses Society director David Wills says it is backward step that ignores the correlation between speed and the severity of injuries in road crashes.
"The plan to reverse the previous government's speed limit reductions on roads is misguided and is not evidence-based".
The Government plans to do this through a speed limit rule. Under the new rule economic impacts – including travel times – and the views of road users and local communities must be taken into account when setting speed limits.
"Preserving life and avoiding the human and economic costs of injuries and death from road crashes is more important than a few minutes of travel time".
The proposed speed limit rule will require speed limits that have been reduced since 1 January 2020 to be reversed on local streets, arterial roads, and state highways. It will also require variable speed limits outside schools during pick up and drop off times to keep young New Zealanders safe.
The rule will also enable some new and existing roads to have a 110km speed limit, and in some cases speed limits of up to 120km will be permitted.
Te Manatū Waka (the Ministry of Transport) is taking feedback on the proposal until 11 July 2024. The Society is putting in a submission opposing the changes on the basis that higher speed limits result in more severe life threatening and challenging injuries and higher mortality rates.
Feedback can be submitted at www.transport.govt.nz.
Nurses Society submission to Te Manatū Waka on the proposed changes:
Many other stakeholders oppose raising speed limits.
The Coalition Government has decided to reverse blanket speed limit reductions introduced under the last government by July 2025.
This move is opposed by a wide range of health sector groups including the Society.
Nurses Society director David Wills says it is backward step that ignores the correlation between speed and the severity of injuries in road crashes.
"The plan to reverse the previous government's speed limit reductions on roads is misguided and is not evidence-based".
The Government plans to do this through a speed limit rule. Under the new rule economic impacts – including travel times – and the views of road users and local communities must be taken into account when setting speed limits.
"Preserving life and avoiding the human and economic costs of injuries and death from road crashes is more important than a few minutes of travel time".
The proposed speed limit rule will require speed limits that have been reduced since 1 January 2020 to be reversed on local streets, arterial roads, and state highways. It will also require variable speed limits outside schools during pick up and drop off times to keep young New Zealanders safe.
The rule will also enable some new and existing roads to have a 110km speed limit, and in some cases speed limits of up to 120km will be permitted.
Te Manatū Waka (the Ministry of Transport) is taking feedback on the proposal until 11 July 2024. The Society is putting in a submission opposing the changes on the basis that higher speed limits result in more severe life threatening and challenging injuries and higher mortality rates.
Feedback can be submitted at www.transport.govt.nz.
Nurses Society submission to Te Manatū Waka on the proposed changes:
Many other stakeholders oppose raising speed limits.