Annual road toll up on last year

Two horrific holiday weekends over the past couple of months have contributed to the road toll being well up on last year.

Statistics released today by the Ministry of Transport put the toll at 190, compared to 172 at this time last year.

There were nine fatals during Queen's Birthday weekend, including four in one crash, while 15 people died in 72 hours between Friday and Monday over Anzac weekend, five of them in one crash.

Statistics show there have been more than twice as many male victims (129) as female (61).

Motorcyclists accounted for 25 fatalities, 17 were pedestrians and three cyclists.

Those aged between 25 and 39 had the worst statistics with 43 deaths to date, followed by those aged between 40 and 59 (41), and over 60 years (35).

April was by far the worst month this year, with 45 deaths, which compared to 28 the previous year.

The road toll at this time in 2007 was 169.

- NZPA