Crash statistics show youth at high risk in Mackenzie

Head on collisions and loss of control are factors in 70% of vehicle crashes in the Mackenzie, with young drivers involved in half of all serious incidents.

The figures were revealed in NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi's (NZTA) 2026 Communities at Risk Register, which was released last month.

The report measured collective risk across territorial authorities by calculating annual death and serious injury (DSI) averages from 2021 to 2025, with personal risk calculated by the probability of DSIs per 100 million kilometres travelled.

With 10 deaths or serious injuries annually, the register identified the Mackenzie District as a high risk area across fatigue, young drivers, older drivers, and open road loss-of-control or head-on crashes.

Young drivers, those aged 15 to 24, were involved in 50% of all death or serious injury incidents annually, averaging five incidents per year with about 22 per 100 million km travelled through the district.

Older drivers, 65 and older, accounted for two death or serious injury crashes per year with 15 per 100 million kms travelled.

And fatigue was linked to two DSIs a year with one DSI per 100 million kms travelled.

The highest road safety risk was open road loss of control and head-on collisions, which accounted for seven DSIs each year and 4 DSIs per 100 million km travelled.

In Timaru, young drivers, open road loss of control, and intersections were the highest risk in crashes in the district.

Of the 26 average incidents per year, 50% involved an intersection, 42% involved loss of vehicle control, 35% involved the open road, and 31% involved a younger person.

Young people faced the highest personal risk, with 12 incidents per 100 million km travelled, more than double the district-wide average of five.

In the Waimate district, with an average of 9 annual incidents, factors in crashes included loss of control, drugs and alcohol, and young drivers.

Of all incidents, 11% involved a young driver, 33% involved drugs and alcohol, and 56% involved loss of vehicle control.

Young drivers were involved in eight incidents per 100 million km travelled, compared with the district's average of five, while there were three loss-of-control crashes per 100 million km.

An NZTA spokesperson said some risk categories were combined when multiple factors were present in a single incident.

"More than one topic area can contribute to each crash ... For example, a single crash involving a young driver who was speeding and crashed on a rural road would be represented in three different topics," the spokesperson said.

While the statistics did not assign blame to any group or specific reason for an incident, the spokesperson said that in single-user categories driver error was likely.

The 2026 register was compiled using crash data from its Road Assessment and Management System and Crash Analysis System, alongside figures from the Ministry of Transport's Household Travel Survey, with the spokesperson saying the information helped NZTA identify road risks to inform communities, infrastructure, and education.

NZTA had worked to address some of these figures earlier in the year, with a proposed speed reduction announced for the State Highway 8 and 80 Mt Cook intersection in April, prompting a positive response from residents in the area.

And in July they announced the installation of two sets of average variable speed cameras installed on State Highway 8 between Twizel and Tekapo in July.

Average motorist speed was calculated last summer, informing the installation.