NZ Police – National Road Policing Centre / Ministerial Services
Subject: Official Information Act Request – Medical‑Event and Drug‑Related Crashes (2023–2025)

I am requesting the following information under the Official Information Act 1982.
To avoid ambiguity, each item refers specifically to data recorded or held by NZ Police, including but not limited to the Crash Analysis System (CAS), Police crash reports, and any internal classification or coding guidance.

A. Medical‑Event Crashes (2023, 2024, 2025)
For each of the last three calendar years, please provide:

The number of fatal crashes where the primary contributing factor was recorded as a medical event.

The number of serious‑injury crashes where the primary contributing factor was a medical event.

The number of minor‑injury crashes where the primary contributing factor was a medical event.

The number of fatal crashes removed from the official road‑toll dataset because they were determined to be caused by a medical event.

The exact Police or CAS factor codes, definitions, or descriptors used to classify a crash as a medical event.

The number of cases currently coded as “suspected medical event” or equivalent where coronial findings are pending.

B. Drug‑Related Crashes (2023, 2024, 2025)
For each of the last three calendar years, please provide:

The number of fatal crashes where drugs were recorded as a contributing factor.

The number of serious‑injury crashes where drugs were recorded as a contributing factor.

The number of minor‑injury crashes where drugs were recorded as a contributing factor.

The number of fatal crashes where both alcohol and drugs were contributing factors.

The factor codes, definitions, or descriptors used to classify drug involvement.

The number of cases initially coded as “pending toxicology” that were later updated to “drug‑related.”

C. Classification and Data‑Handling Procedures
Please provide:

The internal Police guidance, instructions, or criteria used to determine when a crash is classified as:

a medical event

drug‑related

alcohol‑related

excluded from the official road toll

Any procedures or thresholds used when updating crash records following coronial findings or toxicology results.

D. Format
Please provide the information in tabular form (CSV, XLSX, or similar), or as a structured table in your response.

E. Administrative Notes
To avoid unnecessary delay:

If any part of this request is considered too broad, please identify the specific part and provide all remaining items.

If any information is not held by Police but is held by another agency, please transfer that portion under section 14 of the OIA.

If coronial delays affect final classification, please provide the current Police coding and note which cases are pending.

Yours faithfully,

Nigel Gray