The BIG picture:
As TRM are closed until Thursday for the Reel Recovery Retreat for cancer patients, we take the opportunity to consider an even more major health issue. As such, this is a most unusual TRM report resulting from the terrible headlines from last weekend. Six people died in car accidents before the increased Easter traffic congestion has even started. This is so serious that we have to do something to raise awareness. From a little village of Turangi, halfway to everywhere, motorists have to consider the big picture. To convince readers, we dug back to the year 2000, where we found some sobering stats to act as our shock tactic.
To convince readers of such a terrible worldwide pattern, in the year 2000, wars caused the deaths of 310,000 individuals, and violent crime killed another 520,000. From a macro perspective, these 830,000 victims comprised 1.5 per cent of the 56 million people who died in 2000. Now, for the sad, almost unbelievable comparison. That year 1.26 million people died in car accidents (2.25 per cent of total mortality).
To satisfy both optimists and pessimists, we could conclude by suggesting we are on the threshold of both heaven and hell. History has not decided where it might end up, but if we are to achieve any road safety improvement, everyone must change their driving habits.
You may have read it all before on TRM blogs, but after the weekend’s death toll, we do not apologise. What’s more, it will cost nothing at all. Just a slight change in State Highway navigation selection… The usual, by far more popular, crowded, risky route north of Turangi via SH1 is now too dangerous when there is a better option available. To improve your odds of survival, avoid the route on the map above:
If you are genuinely concerned about road safety, avoid the crowded section of SH1 north of Turangi. The route SWMBO and most of TRM’s regular inmates use is via SH 32 below.
This is important for everyone planning an Easter road trip.
For traffic heading north, when you get to Turangi, head north-west on SH41 towards Tokaanu and beyond to Kuratau to turn north on SH32. This western access around Lake Taupo is quicker than SH1.
Turangi is halfway between Wellington and Auckland – halfway to wherever tourists are travelling. To the north, Taupo is 50 km on SH1. To the south, it is over 90 km to Taihape. To the west, it is about 66 km to Taumaranui or over 250 km to New Plymouth. To the east, it is well over 180 km to Napier.
The aerial photo below clearly shows the recommended SH 41 heading out west through Tokaanu.
Most of the tourist and commercial traffic heads south down SH 1 via Taupo. If you are at all concerned about road safety and reducing the risk of accidents, it is time to consider the SH32 alternative route. NZTA recommend traffic to turn off SH 1 at the southen end of Tokoroa and head towards Whakamaru. It is prominently signposted.
How to account for the enhanced safety margin? This alternative SH32 route through Whakamaru has approximately one fiftieth (1/50th) of the traffic density of SH1. i.e., whenever we drive north, to pass the time, SWMBO does some very basic traffic-count research on relative density. What a surprise! Every vehicle heading south is counted. On about 75 km via SH 32 the count is usually fifty to seventy heading south. OK? Then on our return trip on the SH 1 corridor, we measured how far we travelled to count 70 vehicles. The longest distance was less than 2 km.!
Anyone can do a simple analysis suggesting SH 32 carried 40 times less traffic density, which reduces the likelihood of a collision by a similar margin. That is forty times safer! Look at the odds… It has to be safer, more relaxed, lower stress, more enjoyable views, easier on nerves and exhaustion, and driving at your own pace rather than being dictated by impatient cars behind you, following too close and held up in a never-ending queue.
Just as an aside, we did not see one camper van. We are not suggesting that means anything. Just a casual observation…
TRM probably receive more fishy visitors from Auckland (323km) than anywhere else. For the last twenty years, SWMBO has encouraged all drivers from the north to return on SH 32. TRM cannot afford to risk losing inmates. Obviously, that has to be more than 40 times safer with 40 times less traffic than the main SH1 north-south corridor.
Many regular TRM inmates have used that route for many years and swear by it, as far better for reducing driving stress, with so much less traffic.
Happy motoring and have a safer Easter.