A person walking along the middle of a busy expressway has prompted a warning from police.
Police received 15 calls from the public yesterday after the person was seen walking along the centre of the Waikato Expressway around 7pm.
The person was crossing multiple lanes, wearing dark coloured clothing and was very hard to see, Waikato West Area Commander Inspector Andrew Mortimore said.
“The Waikato Expressway has a speed limit of 110km/h, and it is extremely dangerous to walk at such close proximity to vehicles travelling at such speed.
“Especially at night, in areas where there are no streetlights, making visibility very low.
“Police are all too familiar with the devastating outcomes that can occur from crashes involving vehicles and pedestrians, and at speeds like this those outcomes are, more often than not, fatal.”
Police found the person and took them back to the Huntly Police Station while they awaited a family member to pick them up.
“I would like to thank the members of the public who did the right thing and called police immediately, so that we could assist the person in getting home safely,” Mortimore said.
“While I am very grateful that this did not end tragically, it serves as a warning to others who may not be so lucky.”
Any concerns around dangerous activity on roads, whether that be dangerous driving or people in compromising positions, should be reported immediately by calling 111.