New Zealand launches road safety campaign for foreign drivers

The New Zealand government Friday launched a major road safety campaign aimed at foreign visitors as the country moves into its peak tourism season.

The campaign would promote messages that had been tested in six target markets -- Australia, Germany, China, the United States, Britain and India, Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss said in a statement.

"Summer is on its way and so are many international visitors. New Zealand roads can be challenging, particularly in and around some of our most popular tourist spots," Foss said.

The campaign would focus on popular South Island destinations and use billboards, posters, digital advertising and social media to spread road safety messages.

The messages included:

-- New Zealand roads can be narrow, winding and steep. Allow extra time.

-- Journeys may take longer than you think. Allow extra time.

-- Save overtaking for long, clear, straight roads.

-- Taking photos? Pull over somewhere safe.

-- Remember to keep left.

Central and local governments were also rolling out a road safety engineering program.

"This road safety campaign is part of a wide range of education initiatives already improving safety at every stage of a visitor's holiday -- planning, booking, in-flight, on arrival and on our roads," said Foss.

The wider Visiting Drivers Project, a partnership between central government, local government and the private sector, had rolled out dozens of initiatives since it began in 2014 in the wake of a series of high-profile road crashes involving foreign visitors.

These included online safety videos for Chinese, Indian, German and the U.S. drivers and driver assessments at car hire companies. Endit