Police in Waikato are to crack down on an increasing number of drivers using rural back roads in an attempt to avoid detection on a range of offences.
The roads cross the eastern part of the region allowing drivers to bypass towns and are called rural rat runs by police.
Road policing manager Leo Tooman says the number of fatal and serious crashes on state highways is dropping, but there has been an increase on the back roads.
Thirteen people have died on Waikato rural roads in the first eight months of this year, compared with seven at the same time last year.
Mr Tooman says drivers who speed or do not have licences, registration or warrants believe there is less likelihood of being caught on rural roads. However, patrols are now focusing on such back roads.
