Road Safe HB along with other agencies including  Hawkes Bay Police, HB District Health Board, Health Hawkes Bay and other associated agencies are holding the third HB Youth Alcohol Expo.   The Expo will run from the 13th-17th May at the Pettigrew Green Arena in Napier.  The Expo has been running for three years very successfully.   The focus of the Expo is the risks of driving impaired by either alcohol or drugs.  The information focuses on the risks for not only drivers but their passengers and other road users.  The Expo provides an opportunity for speakers to tell their story first hand how they have been affected by either themselves or their family being involved in a serious crash.   The messages are hard hitting and graphic.  The Expo also provides an opportunity for participants to talk to stakeholders who are involved with youth, alcohol, addiction services etc.  The event is open to the public, we would like to invite parents, grandparents, extended family, whanau to come along.  We all play a part in keeping people safe on the road, particularly our young drivers.

Tipene 06
Stephen Harmer (Tipene) a local artist supports the Expo. Stephen created the SOBA .D rap for  SOBA  .D, the Road Safe HB Youth Branding.  Stephen has recently been working with Scribe.

Party Register
One of the focuses of the Expo is sober driving, the Party Register will be promoted.  If you would like to register your party please go to the website. www.partyregisterhb.co.nz 

Maid
One of the latest developments for Road Safe HB is the “Mothers Against Impaired Driving”.  Mothers have a unique opportunity to influence their young persons driving.  Come to the Expo and meet the M.A.I.D’s. 

Jared Thomas
Jared Thomas will be speaking at the HB Youth Alcohol Expo.  Jared was in a serious car crash where his brother died along with another passenger.  Jared’s is a simply message, “if you are going out with your mates drinking, always have a sober driver

Tori Morrison
Tori Morrison will be speaking at the Expo again this year.  Tori describes the night she received the phone call from the hospital which changed the lives for her and her family

Text Off
The Expo will also feature the risks of using cell phones in vehicles.  Road Safe HB in conjunction with Police have undertaken a month long campaign.  Disappointingly it was very obvious how many people are using cell phones in vehicles.

During the month of March RoadSafe Hawkes Bay and the Hawkes Bay Police are focussing on cell phone use in vehicles.  Using a cell phone in a vehicle is illegal and also unsafe.  There has been discussions stating it is no more unsafe than having a conversation with passengers and no more unsafe than changing a CD or station on the radio.  It is unsafe, it distracts you from the complexities of driving a vehicle safely which requires utmost concentration and also takes a hand off the steering wheel (if you don’t have hands free).  It also means you are distracted during the message sequence of texting and then reading return messages or having a conversation with someone on the phone.  You cant safely do both….The purposeof the campaign is to raise awareness of the risks.  Helen Small lost her grandmother to a driver who was texting 3 years ago.  She was hit by thevehicle on a pedestrian crossing by the Hastings Hospital.  She later died on the operating theatre having suffered horrendous injuries.  Helen and her family ask that drivers think about this when they choose to use a phone in a vehicle and put other peoples lives at risk.

The poster has been developed especially for the month long campaign.  The posters message is to not use your cell phone while driving.  The message is simple, turn your phone off and check your messages when safe to do so by pulling over in an appropriate place.  Also be sure when returning to the road take  extra caution and you are sure that the way is clear and there are no approaching vehicles.  This campaign will also feature at the upcoming HB Youth Alcohol Expo on the 13th-17th May 2013 at the Pettigrew Green Arena Napier.  
For further information please contact Linda Anderson on 06 835 2633

Road Safe Hawkes Bay and the Hawkes Bay Police Traffic Unit are out campaigning raising awareness of the risks of using a cell phone while driving.   Part of the campaign will include road side checkpoints, conducting a road safe survey and education opportunities.

Helen's 93 year old Grandma, Mrs Penman, was killed by a texting driver on a pedestrian crossing in 2010. The following is a timeline of events that lead to Mrs Penmans death on Thursday 25th March 2010.

A Normal Day
1pm:  Grandma dropped off at her card group by her neice.
4pm: Grandma leaves card group like normal and walks home through town .
4.45pm: Nearly home,crosses the road using pedestrian crossing and hit by a car whose driver was texting.
5pm: Admitted to emergency department with critical injuries,not expected to survive.
7.30pm: My mum rings her at home but no answer, probably watching Coronation Street so will ring after its finished.
8.30pm:  Another phone call but still  no answer, my mum becomes concerned something is wrong at the same time grandma is rushed to theatre for emergency surgery to save her life.
9pm: My mum arrives at her flat expexting to find her at home..... windows open, no lights on rings neice who dropped her at card group, cellphone is switched off.
9.20pm: Speaks with neighbours, and was told she was seen walking home from town around 4.30pm.
9.30pm: Goes to emergency department at Hawke's Bay Hospital and asks if an elderly lady has been admitted, confirmed, was told she had been hit by a car.
9.40pm:  Around at ICU a nurse explains the critical situation and that she is in surgery but not expexted to survive.
10pm: Hospital contact police and inform that a relative is at the hospital, a police officer arrives and gives few details of what happened.
10.35pm: My mum makes the decision to leave hospital to come and get me, at about the same time grandma passes away in theatre.
10.45pm:  I am woken by my mum banging on my bedroom window and screaming for me to open up, instantly I knew something was wrong but unaware my life was going to change forever, paniced, in shock and feeling sick I contact my brother and change his life forever. Get to hospital as quickly as possible not knowing what to expect when we arrive.
11.10pm: Arrive at hopsital carpark, enter into ED where 2 police officers are asking for directions to ICU, they follow us round to ICU.
11.30pm:   At ICU in the family room, surgeons arrive and speak with us originally telling us the extent of her injuries when she arrived at hospital and what was done to her during surgery and how she was at each different stage of the operation. Then at the end told she had passed away on the operating table.
12am: Police take our details and give more details of what happened, we are informed that someone needs to ID her and give permission for an autopsy. Decided as a family we would ID her together.
12.30am: Walk for an eternity down long white corridors to recovery room,  identify Grandma.
12.40am:  Back at ICU family room, given brown bag with her belongings inside.
12.50am:  Leave hospital for home via pedestrian crossing where she was hit, evidence still clearly visible on the road.
1am: Arrive home, spend rest of the night in lounge, what has just happened?

After my Grandma was killed by a texting driver (while  driving) my family spent the first 6 months feeling frustrated that my Grandma would be just another statistic and other families could be put through what we had to endure, all because of cell phone use while driving. We didn’t want her tragedy to be in vain. We are very pleased to be working with Road Safe HB and the Hawkes Bay Traffic Police  and using my Grandmas tragedy to help educate drivers and getting the message out to the public just how dangerous cell phone use  in  vehicles is.   it is such a dangerous thing to do while driving and my Grandma's death is proof of this.  Grandma was always giving back into the community and so in a way she continues to do this through our campaigning. At the age of 93 she deserved so much more than to be just another road statistic, we are proud of her and know by using her story she will make a difference.

As we approach the 3rd anniversary of her preventable death, we will never forget what happened or what we were put through, by sharing her story and trying to prevent another family from going through such tragedy means we are able to turn this into something positive.

Along with Eastern Police,  Road Safe HB will be focusing on alcohol and harm reduction messages over the Christmas and New Year Season. The Police and Road Safe HB participated in Operation Unite…this is an Australasian Campaign that focuses on Sober Driving.   Other road safety messages will include speed, fatigue, restraints and driver distraction.  These are associated factors in a number of crashes and increase the risks and potential outcome of crashes.  

On behalf of Eastern Police and Road Safe HB I would like to wish you, your family and friends a safe and happy Christmas.

Travelling in holiday periods can be more risky because of increased traffic volumes, congestion, tiredness and people driving in unfamiliar environments.

Grandma was 93 years old, but you dare not mention the word old to her as she didn’t believe she was. She was so bright, bubbly, fit, healthy, independent and determined. 

The day she was killed was a normal Thursday for her and also us. She had been given a lift into town by her niece to play cards at her local card group. Grandma often said she would get the bus home but she never had the  intention of doing this, would say it to make people feel happier!!

Jade (on the left) recently presented at the Rotorua Youth Expo. Jade, her sister and her best friend sustained severe injuries in 2011 when a driver was texting and crossed the centre line.  The driver of the vehicle was killed instantly.  Jade, her sister and her friend spent considerable time in hospital and to date are still receiving treatment.  Jades message is hard hitting as she describes the events just after the crash and the last few months as she recovers.  Her life was completely changed due to the crash, she was preparing to travel overseas and start her new life. Her message is direct, don’t use cell phones in vehicles!

Speed is one of the biggest killers in road crashes. Every year, there are still more than 100 fatal crashes that involve someone driving too fast for the conditions.




More people are aware that driving at high speeds is dangerous, but there are still many people who travel at speeds too fast for the conditions. These drivers pose a risk to themselves and everyone else who is on the road with them.  Be aware of your surroundings, what are the weather conditions like, check the conditions of your tyres, ensure you drive at the recommended speed, these may vary due to road conditions or speed advisory.  Slow down around road works and comply with the speed restrictions, these are most likely due to loose gravel etc and may extend even when there are no workmen around”

Being an alert driver is an essential part of being a safe driver. If you drive when fatigued - tired, weary, exhausted or jetlagged - you increase your chances of having a crash. That's because fatigue slows your reflexes and affects your ability to concentrate and make good decisions, like decisions about the speed you're travelling. Fatigued drivers tend to crash at full speed - and we know from statistics, that the higher the speed, the higher the risk
of death or injury in a crash.