The families of nine people in Rotorua have just spent the holiday period with one less person at the table following a horror year on the region’s roads. 

Official road toll statistics for 2023 released to the Rotorua Daily Post by New Zealand Police show someone was killed on Bay of Plenty roads about every 10 days. 

In Rotorua, there were nine deaths - up on figures in the past four years of eight in 2022, seven in 2021 and four in 2020. 

In total, there were 36 road deaths in the Bay of Plenty police district. The district is made up of four policing areas including Rotorua, Taupō, Western Bay and Eastern Bay. The most road deaths in 2023 occurred in Taupō, where 12 people lost their lives. 

The Bay’s overall total was an improvement on 2022, when 60 people were killed - which was well up on the 2021 and 2020 totals of 41 and 39 respectively. 

‘Do the right thing’ - grieving brother 

As Topp Phonphong prepares to mark two years since his older brother’s life was taken after a drunk, drugged, speeding driver’s vehicle ploughed into his car head-on, he is pleading with other drivers to “do the right thing”. 

Topp, 34, a Tauranga restaurant manager, said it “riled” him to hear tens of thousands of people were also caught speeding, driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs and flouting the cellphone ban in the Western Bay of Plenty this year. 

“I’m enraged by that, and in my opinion, it’s selfish for people to do this. They will never know the extent of the loss we have suffered, " he said. 

Uthai Phonphong, 38, was killed in a head-on crash on the Tauranga Eastern Link in January 2021 that was caused by a drunk and drugged driver who was speeding. 

His brother Uthai Phonphong was driving home to his wife and two daughters from his job at the Kwang Chow Chinese Restaurant in Mount Maunganui in January 2021 when the crash happened on the Tauranga Eastern Link, State Highway 2. Phonphong died at the scene. 

The driver of the other vehicle, Benjamin Dods, 30, of Kinloch, was jailed for four years and eight months after he pled guilty to Phonphong’s manslaughter and two drug charges. 

Topp said his brother was working 60-hour weeks, but never made it home to spend precious time with his family due to Dods’ “selfish actions”. 

He said close family members would gather at his gravesite at Pyes Pā cemetery on the anniversary of his death and his birthday in April. 

“We cook his favourite food, present it to him and light some incense. I usually light a cigarette as well, as Uthai used to steal cigarettes from me now and then.” 

Topp Phonphong's older brother, Uthai Phonphong, died in January 2021 in a head-on crash on the Tauranga Eastern Link caused by a drunk, drugged and speeding driver. Photo / Alex Cairns 

A tearful Topp said he thinks about his brother every day and all the missed chances there were to stop Dods from driving before the crash. 

“He has robbed us of the opportunity to spend time with my precious brother, and no amount of living can fill that hole. But we just try to do our best to live life to the fullest and ensure Uthai will never be forgotten,” he said. 

Topp said he wanted to plead with drivers to “put themselves in other people’s shoes and listen to the police”. 

“If this were to happen to you, think how your family would feel,” he said. 

“Just be careful out there and slow down. Small or big speeders, it doesn’t matter – the moment you cause a crash, you’re all criminals.” 

Driver behaviour ‘simply unacceptable’, says police boss 

For the Bay’s road policing manager Inspector Logan Marsh, just one death is too many. 

He said four people were killed in just 48 hours in the week before Christmas, showing how quickly lives could change and the devastating impact of what sometimes amounted to poor decision-making. 

“These aren’t just numbers – they’re somebody’s family member, friend or colleague, and the impacts from these tragic deaths spread far and wide across our communities.” 

Marsh said most of the fatal crashes were still under investigation so he could not comment on specific circumstances of each one, but he said in general, there were four main causes - people driving too fast for the conditions; driving while distracted, including using a mobile phone; driving while impaired by alcohol, drugs or fatigue; and not being properly restrained. 

Early indications from the Bay’s deaths in 2023 showed speed was a factor in about half of the deaths. 

“In a crash, even if you’re not at fault, speed remains the single biggest factor in whether you and your passengers walk away or are devastatingly carried away. Every opportunity you take to reduce your speed, even by a fraction, has to potential to make a huge difference to safety on our roads for everybody.” 

He said the level of impaired drivers police saw on Bay roads was also “alarming” and “simply unacceptable”. 

“We’re seeing intoxicated drivers day and night, some with crazy high levels. And these people are sharing the roads with all of us and our loved ones.” 

Police made no excuses for targeting drivers, in particular those who speed, are drinking and driving, using their mobile phones or not properly restrained. 

“But we need everyone on the roads to play their part. Pay attention when you’re on the roads, put your seatbelt on, put the phone away, don’t drive while you’re tired or after drinking or taking drugs, and always drive to the conditions.” 

- Additional reporting Sandra Conchie. 

2023 road fatalities 

January 2: Tighe Preston Ryan, 18, Ōpōtiki 

February 4: George Anthony Tutaki, 53, Tokoroa 

February 11: Tangiwai Arihia Heurea, 47, & Michael Sadler, 58, Ōpōtiki 

February 26: Kevin Andrew Toa, 60, Murupara 

March 3: Jacob Hoani Butler, 18, Murupara 

March 23: Rebecca Elizabeth Wallace, 34, Tūrangi 

April 15: Shane Alfred McNeil, 46, Te Puke 

April 17: Eraia Kiel Snr, 65, Ngongotahā 

April 28: Bryan Edward Marris, 60, Mount Maunganui 

April 29: Janice Irene Murrell, 71, Rotokawa 

May 6: Toby Madison Ireland, 20, Taupō 

May 11: Praneet Shriram Naidu, 38, Tīrau 

May 19: Vaishali Kowhai McNeill, 16, Pongakawa 

May 28: Louis Alexander Fox-Pratt, 17, & Jacob Thomas Fitzgerald, 16, Iwitahi 

June 23: Jaydon Michael Albert, 28, Tokoroa 

July 31: Jorja-Ray Smith, 12, Mount Maunganui 

August 11: Tawhiao Jody-James Ngaheu, 27, Whakatāne 

August 14: Adrian Riki Wilson, 62, Koutu 

August 27: Natalie Podesvova, 32, Te Whāiti 

September 1: James Te Moana- Takao, 32, Whakatāne 

September 2: Whata Albert Marsden, 43, Te Puke 

September 21: Mark Shaun Hugh Goodwin, 40, Tūrangi 

September 27: Taiwhakaea Te Rorerangi Loffley, 18, Mourea 

September 27: Wharerangi Harry McMillan-Sullivan, 27, Tīrau 

November 3: Bodh Naidu, 64, Tūrangi 

November 8: Te Arini Melissa Lawrence, 59, Pukehina 

November 16: Grant Anthony Mathews, 53, Tūrangi 

November 20: Edward Duffy, 88, Rotorua 

November 21: Takatu Ahomiro, 48, Te Puke 

December 16: Ivan Ray Burgess, 52, Pyes Pā 

December 16: Name not yet released, Rotorua 

December 18: Janice Nada Christensen, 78, and John Munch Christensen, 82, Rotorua 

December 27: Brayden Tawa, 27, Mt Maunganui 

The 2023 road death numbers by the region 

(Comparison to 2022) [Comparison to 2021] {Comparison to 2020} 

Rotorua - 9 (8) [7] {4} 

Taupō - 12 (21) [9] {12} 

Western Bay - 9 (15) [15] {17} 

Eastern Bay - 6 (16) [10] {6} 

TOTAL Bay of Plenty - 36 (60) [41] {39} 

Source: NZ Police