KEY POINTS:
One safety message out of a tragic accident where a schoolgirl was killed today, is to drop school children off on the same side of the road as their school.
A 13-year-old Tauranga girl died after being struck by a logging truck as she crossed the road to Mount Maunganui College.
The girl, along with her brother, had just been dropped off to the school by another brother.
The accident happened on Maunganui Rd, opposite Mount Maunganui College.
Police said the girl, whose name has not yet been released, was clipped by the truck as she crossed the road heading towards Mount Maunganui College.
The logging truck did not stop but it was possible that the driver may have been unaware he had hit the girl.
She died on the way to hospital.
Tauranga police senior sergeant Ian Campion told Radio New Zealand one safety message to come out of today's accident was to drop school children on the same side of the road as the school.
Mr Campion said they had yet to confirm whether the girl had stepped over the middle white line.
He asked for truck drivers who were on Maunganui Rd between 7.45am and 8.15am to come forward.
Police believe the logging truck was laden at the time and parts of the truck were probably damaged.
He said they were looking at CCTV footage at the Port of Tauranga to try to identify the logging truck.
Mount Maunganui College principal Terry Collett said the feeling at the school today had been "very subdued".
Staff and students at the college had been "looking after each other".
Mr Collett said the girl's tangi would be held on Saturday morning in Putaruru, on State Highway 1 near Tokoroa.
- NZPA
