Grim lead up to Christmas with four killed in crashes in 24 hours

This car erupted in flames near Squadron Drive, Hobsonville, Auckland. Photo / Jenny Fraser

Four people have died on our roads in less than 24 hours - making for a grim lead up to the start of the official holiday period on Monday.

A driver died yesterday following a crash in which a van rolled on Mt Cook Rd, north of Twizel.

Another five people were injured in the crash; one of them was been airlifted to hospital by helicopter.

The death was the fourth around the country in the 24 hours since 9pm on Friday.

A driver died in a crash on Banks Peninsula around midday yesterday.

Police said the person was the sole occupant of the car, which went over a bank in Bissau Rd, about 50km south-east of Christchurch.

Another person died in a single-vehicle crash shortly before 4.30am on Saturday morning, on Te Puna Rd near Tauranga.

The crash left a second person with critical injuries.

On Friday night a man died in a single-vehicle crash on Christchurch's Southern Motorway.

He was the only occupant in the car when it crashed, around 9pm.

Meanwhile, emergency services in Auckland responded to a car which caught fire on the North Western motorway shortly after 1pm.

The vehicle which had stopped on the side of the motorway, near the Squadron Drive off-ramp, Hobsonville, and was well-involved in flames when fire crews arrived.

The tragic 24 hours comes ahead of the official holiday period - which kicks off at 4pm on Christmas Eve. This period continues on until Thursday, January 3.

Police have warned motorists that speeding will not be tolerated on our roads, with anyone caught travelling more than 4km/h over the speed limit to be ticketed.

The area commander of the Nelson Bays area, Paul Borrell, also urged motorists to remember road safety was everybody's responsibility.

"We know there are four main behaviours which contribute to death and injury on our roads; people driving too fast for the conditions, driving while impaired (by alcohol, drugs, or fatigue), driving while distracted – including using a cell phone – and not being properly restrained," Borrell said.

"We want to remind everybody on the roads these holidays to be patient and make a concerted effort to keep each other safe.

Borrell suggested drivers should imagine cars in front of them contained their family or friends.

The 2018 road toll stands at 368. The NZTA's online road toll page was down last night, but as December 19, 361 people had died, compared to 363 deaths at the same time last year.

The road toll jumped by more than 50 deaths last year compared to 2016 when 310 people died.