Facts about the christmas road toll such as the highest and lowest amount of deaths and the factors involved.
The father of a 15-year-old girl who was one of three teenagers killed in a horror crash on Boxing Day last year is urging drivers and passengers to make smart choices before getting in cars this holiday season.
Cole Christensen-Hull, Sammy Drost, and Lily Moore - all aged 15 - died when a car they were in crashed near Leeston, in the early hours of December 26 last year.
The last 12 months have been a living nightmare for all of the families.
Lily Moore snuck out of home after celebrating Xmas with family.
Instead of being angry or succumbing to the dark recesses of grief, Moore is determined that other young people learn from the tragedy.
Alongside Sammy's mother, Tracey Drost they have given talks at local high schools to tell students they need to stop and think of consequences before they get into cars with unlicensed or inexperienced drivers.
Today, Moore asks youngsters across New Zealand to think of consequences before making any decisions.
"If you're hopping into a car, how well do you know the driver? What experience have they had? If you're going to sneak out and get into a car, take a good look at your parents first, because it might be the last time you ever see them," he said.
Over the past few months, Moore and Drost have given four talks at Lincoln High School, one each for Year 9, 10, 11, and 12 pupils.
They've also spoken to Rolleston College Year 9 pupils after a request from a student,
"Some of the kids break down in the talk. It's a real story and it seems to sink in," said Moore who talked at the Road Accident Remembrance Day held at Christchurch's Hagley Park last month.
Samuel James Drost, also died in the crash
"I have no control over their lives but I just really hope that they take control of their lives and make good choices and not get into cars.
"We want to get through to the kids before they get their licence, they're the ones as higher risk.
"It's good when the kids approach you afterwards and have a talk and ask how you're coping – that's quite rewarding."
During his talks, Moore tells of enjoying a great family Christmas Day.
And then, early on Boxing Day, a local police constable knocked on his door with the worst news a parent can get.
Flowers and tributes at the scene of a crash that killed three teenagers near Leeston in Canterbury. Photo / Kurt Bayer
"I believed she was in bed. I went in, yelling out and didn't get a response, a voice back. I thought she was there. Normally, I'm a livewire . . . I hear her," Moore said.
He tells of what followed: anxiety, depression, numbness, shock.
"It's how you manage your pain and your loss. I try to do it in a positive way to try and stop any other young ones coming through from making the same mistake.
"It's so preventable. We just can't give up on getting the message out there. We have to continue. If this was around, Lily would have listened. I know that for a fact."
Lily had snuck out with friends to ride with an unlicensed 14-year-old driver.
After an altercation with two older men at a camping ground, the youngsters fled, believing that someone was following them.
It's understood they were travelling at 111km/h when the Nissan they were in hit a grassy mound, launching it into a hedge.
The driver and another boy survived - they were the only ones wearing seatbelts.
Boney Biju died while on his way home from his own 21st birthday party on Christmas Eve. Photo / Facebook
Five people have died so far on New Zealand roads in the official road toll period which started on Friday and ends next Wednesday, compared to 19 last year.
• A female driver died in a three car pile-up on SH5 near Hamurana in Rotorua on Sunday.
• A person was killed Sunday on Pourerere Rd in central Hawke's Bay after a car rolled down a bank.
• Boney Biju died while on his way home from his own 21st birthday party when his car left the road and struck a tree near Hanmer Springs on Christmas Eve.
• Fijian national Lalita Devi was a passenger in a car that crashed on SH14 at Maungatapere on Saturday.
• On Friday. taxi driver Abdul Raheem Fahad Syed, 29, died in central Auckland when his car was hit by another.
Abdul Raheem Fahad Syed, 29, was killed in the crash on Symonds St. Photo / Supplied
Police drink drive statistics released to the Herald under the Official Information Act show that more than 2.1 million breath tests for alcohol were carried out over the 2016/17 fiscal year. Over the same period, 3271blood tests for alcohol were conducted.
And in 2017 to September 30, a total of 18,093 evidential breath alcohol (EBA) infringement and proceedings were issued by police.
Superintendent Stephen Greally, national manager of road policing, said the trauma caused in a serious crash where people are injured or killed is devastating to everyone involved including friends and family.
Tributes lie at tye scene of the crash. Photo / Kurt Bayer
"We want people to remember the speed limit is just that – a limit, not a target."
Police have set a lower 4km speed threshold set on its static and mobile van safe speed cameras until January 8.
