Christchurch City Council today launches its annual stopping distance campaign, which urges drivers to reduce their speed in urban areas.

Sarah Numan, Business Support Manager, says the speed at which cars travel plays a key role in the likelihood of fatal pedestrian crashes.

"If you hit a pedestrian at 70 km/h there is a 95% chance they will be killed, at 60 km/h there is a 70% chance and this lowers to 40% at 50km/h.

"Each year around 100 people are injured or killed on Christchurch roads due to speeding - this figure is much too high and our main goal is to see it reduced," she says.

The stopping distance events include a crash demonstration with cardboard cut-outs and fake blood sprayed out over the car - and sometimes on the spectators.

The car crash victims are then dramatically rescued by the fire service and St John, where the fire service uses the "jaws of life" to rescue three volunteers from the vehicle.

A free sausage sizzle will be provided for on-lookers and spectators will be challenged on their safety knowledge to enter a competition with prizes.

The first event kicked off at 12:30pm today at Canterbury Polytechnic Institute of Technology and the University of Canterbury event takes place tomorrow, with both events to coincide with student orientation week.

Events will also take place at 6:30pm at South Brighton and Opawa primary schools on 2 and 9 March respectively.

"We want to put out a strong message that if we could all travel a bit slower, then we could avoid these types of tragedies - making life more pleasant for pedestrians and cyclists, and less stressful for drivers," says Mrs Numan.

The Council, in conjunction with the Christchurch Police, has been running stopping distance events for the past six years. This year, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter will be onsite at South Brighton.