Abstract
A review, of the present road safety situation in New Zealand is given. The estimated cost to the community of traffic crashes is $1000 million and the pain, grief and suffering which result from traffic injuries touches virtually every citizen at some stage. If present trends continue an annual toll of over 900 fatalities and 38 000 reported injuries by the end of the century is expected. The present range of programmes which governments have introduced in an effort to reduce crashes are summarized.