A man died and eight others, including two unrestrained passengers in the boot of a car, were injured after a two-vehicle crash in Northland.
A 21-year-old man from Waipū was the sole occupant in a car that collided with a Mitsubishi Challenger carrying eight young people.
Of the eight people in the other vehicle, five suffered moderate to serious injuries and were taken to the Whangārei Hospital. The other three passengers had minor injuries and were also taken to hospital for assessment.
The latest fatality just south of Whangārei has pushed Northland's road death toll to 20, compared with 15 at the end of May last year. It took until July 13 last year before the road toll hit 20, with 40 people dying on Northland's roads in 2017.
Acting Senior Sergeant Ryan Gray said the man who died was heading north in a Nissan Muriel when his vehicle collided with a south-bound Mitsubishi Challenger on the passing lane ofState Highway One, near Puwera, south of Whangārei about 3am on Saturday.