New drones to attend Waikato crashes

New drones to attend Waikato crashes

Motorists in the Waikato this summer may notice the highways are less congested than usual.

That's because the police have a new high-flying recruit to help with road crashes.

The new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is likely to be one of the first on the scene to serious crashes in the Waikato region, helping to map an area and minimise the impact on surrounding roads.

"On average a road closure is about five hours at the moment, by the time the incident occurs and we get diversions in place and we do our investigation," says Inspector Freda Grace, Waikato District Road Policing Manager. "We're hoping that we can reduce that significantly."

The UAV – or drone – is being tested for six months. The trial's co-ordinator, who can't be identified because of his police work, says it's perfect for difficult sites.

In cases where a vehicle has gone off the road and can't be seen, footage from the UAV can help police figure out what to do.

It could also be useful for further investigations.

"The use of the technology will put the whole crash site in perspective and make it a lot easier for maybe the coroner and the courts to understand," Insp Grace says.

Ministry of Transport figures reveal one fatality costs nearly $4 million.

Even with non-fatal crashes, the cost is significant. Each serious injury costs more than $400,000 while minor injuries cost more than $22,000 each.

A lot of that goes towards treatment and rehabilitation, but there's also the cost to the community of closing the road.

Waikato's roads are some of the worst in the country for crashes. There have been 39 deaths already this year.

If the trial is successful, it will be rolled out permanently.

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