Local motorists are being praised for their patience on the roads during the holiday period as Whakatāne, Ōpōtiki and nearby towns were flooded with holidaymakers and festivalgoers travelling through.

Nationally, this year’s provisional holiday road toll sits at 13 – significantly lower than last year’s figure of 22.

One of this year’s road deaths occurred in Murupara on December 28, an area routinely policed by staff from Rotorua.

Whakatāne police area manager Senior Sergeant Cam MacKinnon said in the area patrolled by local police, only minor single-vehicle crashes occurred during the holiday period.

“That is a good reflection not only on the men and women of the Eastern Bay police, but on the community as a whole,” he said.

“I want to send out a thank you message to our community for their patience during the influx that often occurs around the Rhythm and Vines festival.”

Mr MacKinnon said Gorge, Commerce, Landing and Domain roads, as well as the bridge, were often gridlocked during this time of the year.

“Locals’ patience observed by staff has been noted and should be commended.”

Volunteers in Ōpōtiki and Matatā came out in force on New Year’s Day to provide opportunities for weary travellers to take a break – and eat a sausage – at two fatigue stops.

The fatigue stop in Matatā is in its eighth year after being started by the local Blue Light organisation to lower the number of crashes happening on the long stretch of straight roads just west of town.

Matatā Blue Light chairman Kevin Raynes said the Matatā straights could be treacherous when it came to catching out unsuspecting drivers, especially on a warm day like last Wednesday was.

“Driving along those straights is when the fatigue starts. I think Matatā is the perfect place for them to stop, get out of their cars and refresh themselves.

“There was a good community atmosphere there.”

The fatigue stops had been a success, with Matatā fire brigade not called to any New Year’s Day crashes since the event started, Mr Raynes said.

He said with a fatigue stop also operating in Ōpōtiki this year, organisers thought Matatā might see fewer people travelling through.

That was not the case, with 1000 sausages and bottles of water given out in each location, including to some people who stopped at both.

Whakatāne District Council community safety adviser Richard Hamer was at the Ōpōtiki fatigue stop, which was set up this year to catch Rhythm and Vines travellers who may not otherwise choose to take the turn off to Matatā, but who could still benefit from a pit stop.

“We looked at the traffic data from last year and we realised not everyone comes through Matatā and Tauranga; some of them go through Rotorua.”

Both Mr Hamer and Mr Raynes said the success of the events came down to the volunteers, who they were grateful to for giving up their public holiday to ensure that others made it home safe.

In Matatā, those volunteers included members of the local fire brigade and residents’ association, and road cones were loaned to the cause by Higgins.

Ōpōtiki volunteer firefighters manned their fatigue stop between call outs, with Ōpōtiki Lions cooking hot dogs on sticks, and Waiotahi Contractors provided a free traffic management plan and people to staff it.

The community efforts to protect the predominantly young people on Eastern Bay roads on January 1 were recognised nationally when a 1News television crew trekked to Matata to cover the initiative.

Beaming young people lived up to comments by volunteers, who remarked how positive and polite they all were, despite some passengers being a little worse for wear.

Nationally, police were pleased with the lower number of road deaths this holiday period but recognised that any death on the road was still one too many.

Director of Road Policing Superintendent Steve Greally said 13 families had their lives irrevocably changed at what should have been a happy time of year.

He said police would continue to be out in force across the country this summer.

“Our officers are doing everything they can out on the roads working to reduce the number of serious crashes. But we need drivers to be doing their bit too.

“Please, make sure everyone in your vehicle is safely buckled up, drive at a safe speed for the conditions under the speed limit, put your cell phone away, and ensure you’re driving free of fatigue, alcohol and drugs.”