increase font size
Rural councils in Canterbury are launching a new speed campaign. The theme of the campaign is 'Country roads are not motorways' and it encourages people to slow down on rural roads.
"Driving on country roads is very different to driving on State Highways," says Selwyn Road Safety coordinator Ngaire Tinning. "Country roads are narrower, have more corners and less road marking. Some country roads are gravel and many roads have activities like stock crossing or horse riding occurring on them, or slower vehicles like tractors use them."
An increase in traffic volumes on State Highways has been mirrored on local roads. Crashes where the driver has loss of control or had been driving too fast for the conditions are common in Canterbury and throughout New Zealand.
Between 2009 and 2013 there were 187 crashes in Selwyn District where speed, or driving too fast for the conditions, were a contributing factor. These crashes contributed to eight fatalities, and 33 serious injuries. 86% of all speed related crashes during this period were on the open road.
"Drivers using rural roads need to ensure their speed matches the driving conditions and the type of road they are on," says Tinning.
"For example when driving on a gravel road or a back road where visibility may be poor and there could be stock or farmers on the road, drivers will need to travel at less than speed limit for their own safety and that of other road users."
The road safety campaign will include radio and print ads in local papers over the next couple of months. A new Facebook page, 'Is 100k OK?,' has also been created.
"We would like to encourage people to share information about safe driving on rural roads with other motorists on the Facebook page to help improve road safety.
People can participate by visiting www.facebook.com/is100kOK and sharing photos or comments about rural roads you drive more slowly on with others, so that they can learn from your advice."
With a focus on producing their own on-farm dairy feed requirements, it would be safe to say that the Fleming family are no strangers to a fertiliser spreader on their North Canterbury farm, near Culverden.
As the New Zealand Government launches negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement with India, one Canterbury-based vegetable seed breeder is already benefiting from exporting to the world's fifth-largest economy.
Two high producing Canterbury dairy farmers are moving to blended stockfeed supplements fed in-shed for a number of reasons, not the least of which is to boost protein levels, which they can’t achieve through pasture under the region’s nitrogen limit of 190kg/ha.
Rare Canterbury mudfish and tadpole shrimp have been discovered at an environmental restoration site at Bennetts Stream in North Canterbury which is part of a biodiversity initiative being carried out by Waimakariri Irrigation Limited (WIL).
Synlait is hoping that its proposed recapitalisation plan will help retain its spooked farmer supplier base.
OPINION: Foreign policy is a real strength of Winston Peter and this is recognised by Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) officials who, so the story goes, wanted him in his present role because of his experience in that field.
DairyNZ subsidiary New Zealand Animal Evaluation (NZAEL) will update the genetic base used to calculate Breeding Worth (BW) next month.
Ruralco has donated $10,000 to the Mid Canterbury Rural Support Trust following a recent fundraising golf tournament.
Nominations are open for three positions on the Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) board.
Lydia Goodman has been crowned the Central Otago 2025 Young Grower of the Year regional winner.
Federated Farmers is calling on the Government to deliver on its pre-election promise to change the KiwiSaver rules to help young farmers get their foot on the farming ladder.
OPINION: Imagine if the Hound had called the Minister of Finance the 'c-word' and accused her of "girl math".
OPINION: It's good news that Finance Minister Nicola Willis has slashed $1.1 billion from new spending, citing "a seismic global…
