KEY POINTS:
A 22-year-old man is dead and a woman critically injured in two separate crashes on the Coromandel, prompting police to warn motorists about the dangers of driving on country roads.
The man was killed when his car ran off the road and smashed into a tree near Thorntons Bay, 10km north of Thames, last night.
Police said speed appeared to have played a significant factor in the single vehicle crash.
Earlier a woman was badly injured when her car and a truck collided outside Coromandel township.
She was airlifted to Auckland Hospital where her condition was this morning described as critical.
Waikato road policing manager, Inspector Leo Tooman, said today the winding roads in the Coromandel required drivers' respect and were particularly unforgiving.
"You have a number of large trees sitting right by the road, drops into the sea and blind corners.
"The key is to plan your trip, give yourself ample time and keep the weight off the right pedal.
"If you make a mistake in the city you risk car damage, if you make a mistake on our country roads it may be one you and other people don't have an opportunity to recover from."
- NZPA
