One horror weekend sends road toll higher

By SCOTT MacLEOD

Forty-nine people died on New Zealand roads last month, the highest May toll in five years.

This has taken the number of deaths so far this year to 212, which is 13 more than at the same time last year.

Land Transport Safety Authority director David Wright said one reason for the increase was a horror weekend in which 10 people died in eight smashes.

"That is a terrible level of carnage."

Mr Wright said the deaths should be a warning as the nation enters Queen's Birthday Weekend, traditionally a time for road fatalities.

Last year, seven people were killed, 30 seriously hurt and 66 slightly hurt in crashes over Queen's Birthday Weekend. Six of the seven died in open-road smashes.

Apart from the usual warnings about patience, seatbelts and speed, Mr Wright said drivers should be especially wary of winter conditions such as fog, rain, ice and low sun.

People heading for snowy areas should remember to take chains for their tyres.

The worst Queen's Birthday Weekend in the past 20 years was in 1981, when 15 people were killed. The lowest toll was in 1995, when two people died.

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