Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter is asking everyone to plan ahead, be patient and take extra care on the road this summer holiday.
"Summer is a very busy time on our roads so plan ahead, expect delays and give yourself plenty of time to get to where you need to go," said Julie Anne Genter.
"If we can avoid having to rush we're less likely to take risks and put ourselves and other people on the road in danger.
"To avoid the stress of heavy traffic this summer you can take advantage of the journey planning tools produced by the NZ Transport Agency. This includes an interactive holiday journeys map which shows predicted traffic flow across popular journeys over the summer holidays based on previous years' travel patterns.
"This can help you decide whether to take an alternative route or leave when traffic is lighter, either early in the morning or late at night.
"Drivers can also check the NZTA's journey planner website just before they head off, which provides real time traffic updates about delays, road works and road closures.
"For those in Auckland, remember that travel on all buses and trains is free from 4pm today – it's a great way to get home safely if you're planning on a few end of year drinks with workmates," said Julie Anne Genter.
The official holiday period starts at 4pm December 24 this year and will end at 6am on Thursday 3 January 2019.
Last year there were 12 road deaths over the 12 day Christmas holiday period and ninety people were seriously injured.
Keep up to date with:
· Traffic updates: nzta.govt.nz/traffic
· Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz
· Summer Holiday Journeys: nzta.govt.nz/traffic-and-travel-information/journey-planner/holidayjourneys/summer-holiday-journeys-2018
