Speed checks from the air

Press, 20 December 1985, Page 2

Speed checks from the air

PA Wellington Ministry of Transport officers took to the air yesterday in light planes to spot speeding motorists. The Ministry would use planes for aerial surveillance of danger spots on highways, said the Minister of Transport, Mr Prebble. “Motorists who speed or otherwise drive dangerously are likely to find themselves being stopped by a traffic officer and charged with an offence they committed a kilometre or more down the road,” he said.

Speed measuring marks have been placed on highways and the spotter planes will use them to record a vehicle’s speed and pass the information on to a Ministry patrol on the ground who will stop and charge the motorist.

“This method is particularly effective against the hardened speedster because

his or her microwave radar detector is going to be no use at all,” Mr Prebble said. The practice of flashing headlights to indicate a traffic officer ahead would also be useless, he said.

The Civil Aviation Division of the Ministry of Transport would make aircraft and pilots available as commitments allowed but in some cases aircraft would be hired. Mr Prebble said the Government was determined to give the Ministry all the tools it needed to make the roads safer. He asked road users to act responsibly — to help make this Christmas memorable for its lack of accidents. Aerial surveillance is expected to begin on roads from Christchurch on Boxing Day.