Fatal crash victim not wearing seatbelt - police

File photo / Martin Sykes

Police think a man who died in a late-night car crash at Manutuke, 15km south of Gisborne, was not wearing a seatbelt and are looking at the possibility fatigue was a factor.

The 49-year-old sole occupant of the vehicle was travelling south on State Highway 2 when his car crossed the centre line and crashed into a concrete abutment on Te Arai Bridge, just before the Manutuke turnoff, at 10.40pm yesterday.

Eastern district road policing manager Inspector Chris Wallace said it appeared the man was not wearing a seatbelt.

Firefighters, police, including members of the serious crash unit, and ambulance officers were called to the crash but the man died at the scene.

"The cause of the accident is not entirely clear at the moment. The matter has been referred to the coroner, who will rule on the cause, but we are looking into whether fatigue played a part," Mr Wallace said.

"What we know is that the man was travelling south when he crossed the centre line and crashed."

The front driver's area of the car took the impact of the crash.

The name of the man would be released when his family had been notified, he said.

- NZPA