Politicians getting run over by Big Road

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2025-02-13 14:24

New Zealand

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Road lobbyists often use the same tactics as tobacco, alcohol and fossil fuel industries to influence government policies and media narratives to suit their commercial interests. New Zealand researchers found that groups such as the AA and the Motor Industry Association often frame investments in public transit and cycling as costly, inefficient, and restricting individual choice, while rarely mentioning their benefits to public health and climate. When it came to road injuries, industry groups cited a lack of spending on road infrastructure as a key cause of harm, but downplayed the effectiveness of policies such as lower speed limits or fewer vehicles.