10 dead in Anzac weekend toll – safety, patience urged on roads nationwide

Robyn Edie/Stuff

Southland Area Commander Inspector Michael Bowman speaks about the fatal crash in Invercargill that claimed the lives of four young men.

Motorists are being urged to drive safely and with patience over the long weekend, after ten people have died on New Zealand roads in two days.

National road policing manager Superintendent Steve Greally said the past two days have been “pretty horrific.”

He said the deaths could be attributed to the increase in traffic across the roads, with it being a long weekend, and the “bad decisions” from drivers that holiday often incites.

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“We usually find one of four things,” he said.

“People who have failed to wear their seatbelts, people who are impaired by either alcohol, drugs or fatigue, people who are distracted – whether it be via cell phone or someone that they’re talking to in the vehicle – or they are using excess speed.”

“These are really basic things, it’s amazing people that so many people still get wrong.”

Greally said his advice for those heading out on the roads during the long weekend is simple: Leave earlier or later to avoid the heavy traffic, plan a trip well, and don’t rush.

“Be calm, enjoy the trip. We want people to take pit stops and have a cup of coffee, have a walk, get some fresh air, and then continue their journey.”

“It makes no sense to continue to the point where you are so fatigued that you put everyone else at risk,” Greally said.

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Ten people have died on New Zealand roads across one weekend. (file photo)

On Sunday afternoon North Shore, Rodney & West Auckland police urged motorists to be careful via a bleak social media post which highlighted the large loss.

“There have been 10 deaths on our roads in 48 hours,” it read.

“Let that sink in.. 10 people won’t be going home to their families. And 10 families will be grieving a huge loss.”

“Slow down – take your time and take breaks. Wear your seatbelt, don’t drive impaired by drugs, alcohol, or fatigue, and never drive distracted – keep your focus on the road.”

On Sunday morning the death toll rose to double figures when a motorcyclist died in the Manawatū region, on State Highway 4 near Raetihi, after colliding with a car.

It totalled the third death as a result of a motorcycle crash over the weekend.

“When you’re driving a vehicle, you’ve got to keep a much greater look out for motorcyclists because they can be really hard to see,” said Greally.

“We’ve seen far too much carnage on motorcycles this year alone.”

Two people died and three others were injured after two crashes overnight Saturday, while another died on State Highway 23, south of Raglan, just after 11.30pm on Saturday.

Police were called to the single-vehicle crash but the car’s sole occupant died at the scene.

The road has now reopened.

In the second incident, one person died and three others were injured after a single-vehicle crash in the Far North early on Sunday.

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Police are still investigating the cause of the two overnight crashes in Raglan and Northland. (File photo)

Emergency services responded to the crash shortly before 1am Sunday, on the Kaitaia-Awaroa Rd, in Herekino.

Sadly, one person died at the scene, a police spokesperson said.

Three other people were taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Police’s serious crash unit has investigated the crash scene, and the roads have now reopened.

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One person died and three others were injured in the early-morning crash on Kaitaia-Awaroa Rd in Herekino. (File photo)

Police continue to investigate the cause of both crashes.

Anzac weekend road toll rises to ten

The three crashes top off a horror 36 hours on New Zealand roads, which resulted in ten deaths.

Four young men died in a two-car crash in central Invercargill on Friday afternoon.

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Friday’s crash in Invercargill has shaken the community.

Three boys from Bluff aged 16 and a 17-year-old died when their Ford Ranger collided with a truck carrying concrete, on Queens Dr just before 4pm on Friday.

The truck driver was hospitalised with minor injuries.

On Saturday at about 6.30am, one person died following a two-vehicle crash on Arapaepae Rd, State Highway 57, at Levin.

At about 9.30am, a person died after a crash between a motorcycle and another vehicle on Whangārei’s Western Hills Drive.

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One person died after a fatal crash in Levin on Saturday morning.

Another motorcyclist died in a crash on State Highway 30 at Awakeri, Whakatāne, at 5.30pm on Saturday.

The Ministry of Transport does not count Anzac as an official holiday period, as the day does not always result in a long weekend, and it has only been Mondayised if it falls on a Saturday or Sunday since 2014.

Official holiday road tolls are counted for Christmas and New Year’s, Easter, Queen’s Birthday weekend and Labour Weekend.

A total of 117 people have died on New Zealand’s roads so far this year, up from 103 at the same time last year.

Chris McKeen/Stuff

Motorists are urged to plan their journey and avoid heavy traffic times as they head home from Anzac weekend or an extended holiday. (File photo)

Congestion expected for Monday

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is urging motorists to plan their journeys and avoid peak travelling times.

Congestion is expected on major roads around the country on Monday, as people head home from the Anzac Day long weekend or an 11-day holiday when combined with Easter.

The transport agency’s journey planner is predicting busy traffic on Monday, when based on previous years’ travel patterns.

One of the busiest spots is expected to be on State Highway 1 at Ōhinewai, north of Hamilton, where the northbound lane is impacted by safety improvement roadworks.

Heavy congestion is expected between 11am and 9pm, with motorists heading to Auckland or further north urged to consider using SH27 and SH2 as an alternate route.

Other heavy traffic is expected in Northland for motorists heading south to Auckland. SH1 at Kawakawa is expected to be busy southbound between 10am and 2pm, and at Whangārei from 12pm to 1.30pm.

In the South Island, traffic is expected to be heavily congested heading south of Kaikoura on SH1, between 11.30am and 2pm.

SH1 at Waipara, north of Christchurch, is also expected to be busy southbound on Monday, between 1.30pm and 5pm.