Black Easter claims nine

Emergency services at the scene of a two-car crash 15km north of Waiouru on the Desert Road in which two people were killed. Photo / Supplied

The holiday road toll soared to nine last night after two double-fatality crashes and the death of a baby whose parents are seriously ill in hospital after a smash which police say involved alcohol and speed.

Four people were killed late yesterday at two notorious State Highway 1 locations - on the Desert Rd, near Waiouru, and in Dome Valley, north of Warkworth.

An 11-month-old infant died yesterday afternoon in Auckland's Starship hospital after being airlifted on Saturday night from a crash near Kawerau, where a man in one of the cars was killed instantly when it hit a concrete power pole and burst into flames.

He was Fraser Douglas Nathan, 23, of Kawerau.

The car in which Mr Nathan was travelling is understood to have clipped a four-wheel-drive, in which the baby was travelling, while overtaking it about 7.20pm on State Highway 34 near Patauaki, northeast of Kawerau.

Police at the scene believed alcohol and speed were likely to have been factors in the crash.

The five deaths yesterday afternoon more than doubled the Easter road toll to nine, eclipsing last year's toll of seven for the entire holiday weekend and equalling the deadly score for 2008. The holiday period officially finishes at 6am tomorrow.

All nine deaths occurred on roads in the upper half of the North Island.

"It's awful stuff, totally awful stuff, and so much of it was unnecessary," said the road policing manager for Waitemata, Superintendent John Kelly.

One of the cars in the Desert Rd crash, which occurred 15km north of Waiouru about 5.30pm, was overtaking a truck and collided head-on with an oncoming vehicle.

Inspector Mike Coleman of police central communications said a man and a woman, who were in separate cars, died at the scene.

Three people had serious injuries and two moderate injuries. A central fire communications centre spokesman said five people were trapped and had to be cut from the vehicles.

In Dome Valley, a motorcyclist and pillion passenger died after their bike and a car collided about 7pm.

The crash closed State Highway 1 and forced traffic diversions to State Highway 16 via Kaipara Flats Rd to the south or Station Rd to the north.

Inspector Lou Alofa of police northern communications said the driver and passenger in the car suffered moderate injuries.

Police and the Transport Agency last night appealed to Easter holidaymakers to take extra care when returning home today, especially if travelling after nightfall, made earlier by the end of daylight saving.

"There's going to be some rain ... so slow down and adapt your driving to the conditions," said Mr Kelly. "Don't put yourself under time pressure, get out early and take your time on the road."

It was vital that parents made sure young children were properly restrained, he said.

In the Bay of Plenty crash on Saturday night, two passengers in the burning car had to be cut out by emergency workers.

One was a 27-year-old man who was flown by rescue helicopter to Tauranga Hospital in a critical condition.

In the other car, the infant's father, 22, was seriously injured and was flown by a second helicopter to Rotorua Hospital, from where he was transferred to Waikato Hospital.

The child's mother - also seriously ill - was taken to Whakatane Hospital by ambulance, as was another occupant of the burning car, with what were believed to be moderate injuries.

In a second crash on Saturday night, a man was killed after a car in which he was the sole occupant rolled off the road and into a drain about 2km from Ahipara, southeast of Kaitaia, about 8.40pm.

The police named him last night as Wiki Antony Barass, 50, who was believed to be a local resident.

The other two Easter road deaths occurred on Good Friday, when Jason Victor Robinson, 18, and Barbara June Moseley, 59, were killed in separate Waikato crashes.