Three vehicles were involved in accidents yesterday morning (Wednesday May 29), backing up consistent messages from Wānaka Police over the past few weeks to drive to road and weather conditions.

Black ice on the roads was the primary cause of yesterday’s accidents.

Read more: Black ice vehicle crash a ‘cautionary tale’

“Black ice is a hidden hazard. It makes the road slick and can cause poor handling and radically reduce stopping distances,” Wānaka Police Senior Sergeant Fiona (Fi) Roberts said.

“Please drive to the conditions, even when speed doesn’t cause the crash, it is the single biggest determinant in whether anyone is killed, injured, or walks away unharmed. A small change in speed makes a big difference to injury severity in a crash – for you and everyone else involved.”

Fi gave a “big shout out” to Aspiring Highways and Downers who maintain state highways in this area.

“Their primary focus is on spraying the roads with CMA [Calcium Magnesium Acetate, a biodegradable chemical that stops ice forming] to ensure ice does not have an opportunity to form.

“In winter, weather conditions are very changeable and there are more hazards on the road to be cautious of, so it’s even more important to watch your speed and drive to the conditions.”

Fi advised people to carry chains all winter and know when and how to fit them. 

Online scams 

There have been reports of online scams in the past week, and “this time of year it seems to be firewood,” Senior Sergeant Roberts said.

While there are plenty of legitimate buyers and sellers, Fi said there are also others who “take any opportunity to prey on vulnerable people”.

She said a “trusting soul” could put money in someone’s account before finding out there is no firewood and the ‘seller’ does not live in Wānaka.

“If you are buying something sight unseen, you are taking a risk. It is perfectly reasonable to expect a face-to-face sale.”

Some online platforms have been set up specifically for trading and have measures to protect buyers and sellers (including the ability to leave feedback and make a complaint if the trade doesn’t go ahead as planned), however Facebook does not monitor sellers.

Fi said anyone who thinks they or someone they know has been the victim of an online scam, abuse, harassment or other criminal activity online can report it online or call 105.

“Providing as much information as possible helps us in processing your report, this could include any relevant evidence and documents available e.g. bank statements, emails, texts, social media accounts,” she said.

Find more information here.

Shoplifting

Senior Sergeant Roberts said the police have been working with local retailers on shoplifting prevention using Auror technology.

Auror enables police to link offending, such as petrol drive-offs and theft, around the country.

“That’s really helpful for us,” Fi said. 

As a smaller community, Wanaka “has the ability to follow up on petty crime”, she added.

“We’re such a trusting community in Wānaka … [but that] makes us vulnerable. 

“You don’t think to do things that you’d do in a metropolitan area because you don’t think that stuff happens here. Trust me, it does happen.”

Road policing

Fi reported that the police Impairment Prevention Team (IPT) stopped 683 vehicles throughout the Southern Lakes over the weekend, of which 31 people had alcohol on their breath, and 10 people were over the limit.

The IPT will be back in Wānaka this week and for King’s Birthday weekend, with increased deployment, she said, adding that people should expect to see police patrols “anytime, anywhere”.

A crash on the Crown Range on Saturday (May 25) left two vehicles on their sides. There was a potential claim that the brakes in one vehicle had failed, but an ongoing investigation was considering all possible causes for the crash. There were no injuries.

Fi said some drivers have been venting at roading contractors at roadworks sites.

“[The workers] are bearing the brunt of everyone’s bad day. We will have a zero tolerance approach to that,” she said.

“They are out there to keep people moving. Have a little bit of empathy with what they're trying to do: keep people moving and keep people safe.”

Fi said Aspiring Highways had reported that the number of tourists and other drivers on the road is “back to pre-Covid levels”.

Call 111 when you need an emergency response from police, fire or ambulance.

Call 105 to report things that don’t need urgent police assistance.

Call *555 to report road incidents that are urgent but not life-threatening.

To make an anonymous crime report contact Crime Stoppers.

PHOTO: Wānaka App