Emergency services applaud another zero fatality Easter for Hawke's Bay

With the Easter holiday period coming to a close, Hawke's Bay Police appealed for drivers to stay safe behind the wheel. Photo / Paul Taylor

Emergency services are hailing an unusually quiet Easter weekend which is continuing a recent trend of zero fatalities on Hawke's Bay roads during this holiday period.

As of last night four people had died on roads across the country during the official Easter holiday period which began 4pm Thursday and ends at 6am today. However, there were no deaths in Hawke's Bay - continuing a run of zero fatalities during the Easter holiday period for at least three years.

As far as Hawke's Bay Today records showed there were no fatal crashes since 2010, however this could not be confirmed yesterday as the last fatal Easter period.

On Sunday evening Hawke's Bay Road Policing Senior Sergeant Dan Foley said "Hawke's Bay Police are grateful that most people have been driving with care and consideration so far this Easter weekend".

"We want everyone to get home safely so we just ask that people keep safety front of mind when they get behind the wheel. Wear your seatbelts, avoid distractions, check your speed and watch your following distances."

Police said they could not comment further on the road toll until the official period ended.

Yesterday New Zealand Transport Agency regional transport systems manager Wayne Oldfield said "although the weekend isn't yet over, it is very pleasing Hawkes Bay's roads have been safe over the Easter weekend".

He said NZTA was working hard to continue to improve safety in Hawke's Bay and upgrade the local infrastructure - such as the realigning of Links Rd and Pakowhai Rd, and the Watchman Road Safety Project.

"The safety of all road users is the top priority of the Transport Agency, we want to make sure everyone gets home safely this Easter and beyond."

Nationwide this year's Easter weekend road toll was double that of last year with four deaths. This included two children who died as a result of a crash on Desert Rd north of Waiouru. Two other people died in separate crashes; one in Rotorua and the other in Tirohanga, north of Taupo.

Hastings Fire Service senior station officer Colin Littlewood said over Easter they often had to attend a number of serious car crashes but fortunately had not been called out to many this holiday period.

It had been a quiet weekend all round, he said, with even the grass fires that usually kept services busy over Easter not occurring.

Both Hastings and Napier Fire stations reported receiving a number of call outs over the weekend which were mostly for minor issues.

The Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter however was kept very busy on Easter Sunday.

At 11.30am the helicopter was called to Waipatiki Beach for a man in his mid 70s who had a cardiac arrest, who was transported to Hawke's Bay Hospital for further treatment.

The helicopter was called out again at 3pm to a rural location at Mangaorapa in Central Hawke's Bay where a child had fallen from a farm bike. He was assessed at the scene by St John paramedics, and transport was not necessary.

At 5pm, the helicopter was called out again to Central Hawke's Bay – this time to Blackhead Beach for a 36-year-old man who had dislocated his shoulder, and was flown to Hawke's Bay Hospital for further treatment.

- For holiday road safety advice go to nzta.govt.nz/safety/driving-safely/driving-in-the-holidays/