Holiday period ends with road toll at six killed on New Zealand roads

Six people died on our roads over the official Christmas holiday period, which ended at 6am today. Police continue to urge drivers to take care. Photo / File

Six people died on our roads over the official Christmas and New Year holiday period - three fewer than the same time last year.

The official holiday road toll ended at 6am today. It started at 4pm on Christmas Eve.

The deaths include a pedestrian who was struck by a vehicle in Blenheim on December 27.

The others were two passengers and three drivers who died in crashes in Nelson, Waikato, State Highway 3 in Kaitoke, Wellsford and in Winton, Southland, in the early hours yesterday.

Over the same period last year, nine people died on New Zealand roads. They were made up of six drivers, a passenger and two motorcyclists.

At the end of last year, a total of 353 people were killed on our roads - a drop of 24 from the road toll of 377 deaths in 2018.

Superintendent Sandra Venables, assistant commissioner for road policing, said while the fewer deaths for 2019 was good news, the wish was that no lives were lost at all.

"It is promising to see after years of death and serious injuries increasing on New Zealand roads, it is starting to turn around.

"But this number is still no comfort to the people who have lost loved ones on our roads."

She said January was one of the highest risk months on New Zealand as so many people were on holiday and travelling around the country to see loved ones and making the most of the summer.

But motorists were still urged to take great care and to drive safely.

"We want all road users to do this safely and not end up in hospital - or worse, the mortuary," she said.

"Let's make 2020 the safest year ever on our roads."