Jane Nees BOP Regional Councillor www.janenees.co.nz

It has been a very sad summer for some, with five separate incidents resulting in loss of life in, or near, the waters of the Bay of Plenty. We have had deaths following a jetski accident on Lake Okareka, a fall at the Te Tumu Cut, where the Kaituna River meets the sea, a boating accident in Tauranga harbour, a drowning at Papamoa Beach and most recently, a hunter drowned crossing the Kaituna River.

These have all been tragic accidents – the result of unfortunate circumstances which have had the ultimate consequence for those concerned. It is particularly sad that the deaths occurred while the people concerned were enjoying the recreational opportunities that the Bay of Plenty offers in abundance.

Often the result of a snap judgment or decision, fatal accidents are in many instances avoidable – the resulting outcome a very regrettable waste of a life. Sometimes – as is often seen on our roads –accidents are the result of making foolhardy decisions or breaking the rules. These sorts of accident are what I find most upsetting because the rules and safety guidelines are there to safeguard the lives of the drivers, passengers and other road users. Careless or reckless driving which leads to fatal accidents is simply unforgivable. The sad thing is that often it is so called ‘high risk' drivers who are responsible for accidents on our roads – a recent Ministry of Transport report states that:

‘High-risk drivers make up 35 percent of all at-fault drivers in fatal crashes.'

A feature of high risk drivers is that they not only are more likely to have accidents, but they are also more likely to display risky behaviour. That is, they like to take risks – and when these risks don't come off – the result is often a nasty accident.

This link between risky behaviour and accidents is not often recognised. I think that if we were all much more risk adverse, our speeds would be reduced, we would pay much more attention, and we would think twice before doing something that may result in us getting hurt. Then perhaps the number of fatal accidents we see would be reduced. Unfortunately, there will always be a bad luck factor and a sad twist of fate – that is the nature of accidents – but let's all be careful out there – on the roads and on the water, so that we don't become a sad statistic.

If you have any views on this or any other issue, please contact me on neesj@xtra.co.nz or ring me on 07 579-5150. Or you can check out my website at www.janenees.co.nz