Canterbury has the highest number of road deaths heading into the holiday season. Photo / Kurt Bayer
Canterbury has the highest number of road deaths heading into the holiday season.
Police data shows 45 people have died on the regions roads in the past year - the highest number per population.
In 2017, 55 people were killed on Canterbury roads - the highest road toll since 2007 when 56 people died.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Canterbury journey manager Tresca Forrester said people should take these figures as a warning heading into summer.
Canterbury has a lot of long straight roads which can sometimes cause people to go over the speed limit, she said.
"Any road death is unacceptable and we absolutely acknowledge the high death toll in Canterbury. We know it's not good enough and we all need to do much better.
"We don't want the toll to get any higher," she said.
Forrester said people need to remember to rest up and allow extra time to get to their destination.
On August 6, five teenage boys lost their lives in Timaru when the Nissan Bluebird they were passengers in smashed into a concrete power pole.
Javarney Wayne Drummond, 15, Niko William Hill, 15, Jack Wallace, 16, Joseff McCarthy, 16 and Andrew Goodger, 15 were all killed and only the driver, Tyreese Fleming, 19, survived.
Lui Nifo paddled out to help with the rescue after the vessel hit a reef, the NZDF says.