An 18-year-old driver died after his car crossed the centre line on a slippery 75km/h bend near Te Kuiti yesterday morning.
The female driver of the other vehicle had minor injuries and was taken to Te Kuiti Hospital as a precaution.
Sergeant Chris Greenwood said the two cars - a BMW X5 and a Subaru Impreza - were probably write-offs.
Police were urging all drivers to slow down in the weekend's wet conditions and to be extra vigilant in busy traffic leading up to Christmas.
Meanwhile, the driver of a truck that dropped a load of tallow on a Kaimai Ranges road yesterday is being investigated by police.
