Seven killed in weekend crashes

Seven people have died in three crashes in the first 24 hours of the official weekend road toll period.

A woman was killed in the latest crash on State Highway 57 near Palmerston North about 2pm today, police said.

She died in a head-on collision between two vehicles on the Pioneer Highway at Longburn, about 8km southwest of Palmerston North.

No further details were immediately available.

Two people were killed and another person was injured in a crash involving a motorcycle and a four-wheel farm bike near Cheviot, North Canterbury, about noon today.

The crash happened about 100km northeast of Christchurch on State Highway 1 at Domett, about 10km south of Cheviot.

Inspector John Doherty, of the police southern communications centre, said a middle-aged man and woman were killed. The condition of the injured person was unknown.

The crash was reported to police at 12.05pm. The road was closed and detours were put in place.

Four teenagers died in Hastings last night after their car crashed into a light pole and a tree.

Police said the crash happened in Windsor Ave, Hastings, about 11pm in fine, dry conditions on a straight road. Two other young men in the car were seriously injured and were today in hospital in Hastings.

Police named those killed as Dylon Scott Brittin, 16, Michael Neil Jefferies, 16, Che Orbell, 17, and Alex Scales, 14.

Senior Sergeant Ross Smith, of Hastings police, said the car had been travelling at speed along the road, which had a 50km/h speed limit.

A full investigation into the cause of the crash was being carried out today and police believed the speed had been a factor. The impact severely damaged the car.

Police are appealing for people who were with the car last night before the crash to contact them.

- NZPA