Cyclist dies in crash with 4WD

The wreckage is strewn along the road in a crash involving a cylist and a 4WD at Ruakaka. Photo / Imran Ali

A cyclist killed at the weekend was the third Northland road fatality in the past three weeks.

His death has pushed the region's road death toll for the year to 10 - three more than last year's record low of seven.

A 66-year-old man, believed to be from Auckland, was killed when the bicycle he was riding was in a collision at Ruakaka with a four-wheel-drive vehicle driven by a 38-year-old woman from Maungaturoto.

The woman's five children were in her vehicle when it rolled during the accident, but all escaped with minor injuries.

Emergency services were called to the accident at the intersection of State Highway 1 and Doctors' Hill Rd, 29km south-east of Whangarei, about 10.50am yesterday.

Two fire appliances and a support vehicle from Ruakaka helped control traffic. SH1 was closed for about 15 minutes as police Serious Crash Unit officers carried out preliminary investigations.

Highway patrol Sergeant Chris Goodall said both the cyclist and the 4WD had been heading north.

The cyclist was knocked off his bicycle and landed in a ditch by the roadside while the 4WD rolled before coming to a rest on its wheels.

Mr Goodall said police would not release the identity of the dead man until his next of kin were notified.

Ruakaka Volunteer Fire Brigade station officer Jeff D'Ath said the woman and her children got out of their vehicle and were sitting on the side of the road when emergency service personnel arrived.

Seatbelts had helped prevent injury to the woman and children.

"It could have been worse without the seatbelts, considering the vehicle was in a 100km/h zone," Mr D'Ath said.

The woman and children were treated for cuts and bruises before being transferred to Whangarei Hospital by St John Ambulance paramedics.

No charges had been laid late yesterday.

Mr D'Ath said a group of cyclists heading south had stopped after the incident and offered help before continuing with their journey.

The crash happened about half an hour after a motorcyclist was seriously injured in a crash in Lower Hutt.