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Four people have been killed in separate crashes so far this Labor weekend.
Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson
The latest fatality was a pedestrian who died after being involved in an accident on State Highway 3, Westmere, in the Whanganui District around 2 p.m.
The road remains closed and there are detours.
One person died after a two-car accident around 9 a.m. on State Highway 8 near Tekapo. Three people in the second car were airlifted to the hospital with moderate injuries.
One person died after an accident near Gisborne overnight.
Emergency services were notified of an accident on Whatatutu Road in Te Karaka just before 2 am today.
Investigations into the circumstances of the accident continue.
And police said a motorcyclist was killed in an accident near Timberlea around 5 p.m. yesterday.
Acting Superintendent for the National Highway Traffic Safety Manager, Gini Welch, said it had been a devastating start to the long weekend.
In addition to the four fatal crashes, police have attended other crashes that have resulted in serious injuries for some people, he said.
“With high volumes of traffic on our roads this long weekend, we implore you to keep your speed down, pay attention to your surroundings and conditions, and watch your following distances to make sure you arrive alive,” Welch said.
“It only takes a risky decision or a moment of inattention to result in a tragedy.”
Meanwhile, a serious accident in the center of the North Island had closed State Highway 1 at Desert Road between Rangipō and Waiōuru today. The road has now been reopened.
UPDATE 4:35 PM
Lanes remain BLOCKED on SH4 between Taumarunui and Ongarue, due to an incident. There is a crane on site to help clear the lanes, which could take a few hours. ^ APhttps: //t.co/dyYwcqyz21– NZTA Central North Island One Boat (@WakaKotahiCNI) October 24, 2020
The weekend highway toll began at 4:00 p.m. yesterday and ends at 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday.
One person died on the roads this past Labor weekend.
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