What assessment, if any, has been undertaken on the potential impact of installing automated enforcement on reducing fatalities on Desert Road?

Answer

NZTA advises that when it assesses corridors for average speed cameras, it uses a strategic model that assesses the risk on a road, considers the numbers of death and serious injuries, the risk rating on the road (i.e. road surface, width of shoulders, bends etc). This is then calculated to show how many Deaths and Serious Injuries (DSIs) can be expected on that particular corridor. From research overseas, Average Speed Corridors have shown to be effective in reducing DSIs by 48%. This is then calculated to give an expected DSI reduction. NZTA’s average speed camera programme considered where the line is drawn to provide the best value in terms of addressing risk and expenditure available. The line was drawn at a DSI reduction of 1 per year. The Desert Road has been assessed as a potential average speed corridor however the DSI reduction did not meet the benchmark (the estimate was 0.59 DSI reduction per year).