KEY POINTS:
The weekend road toll stands at three after three road smashes in Taupo and Rotorua.
Taupo police had two fatal crashes in a nightmarish 12 hours, bringing the area's road toll to six for this year, compared to three for all of 2006.
Police said a 22-year-old Wellington woman was killed after her car cross the centre line and collided head-on with another vehicle at about 4.30pm yesterday, 25km east of Taupo on State Highway 5.
The driver of the other vehicle was also a 22-year-old woman, and also the sole occupant of her car. She escaped with moderate injuries and was taken to Taupo Hospital by ambulance.
The road was closed for 3-1/2 hours, and police were seeking witnesses to the crash.
Early this morning, a second crash on SH1, south of Waitahanui on the eastern side of the lake, left one man dead and another "teetering" in an unstable condition.
Acting Sergeant Glenn Eagle said the men's car collided with an oncoming truck.
Both men had to be cut from their vehicle, while the truck driver walked away from the crash in shock but unhurt, Mr Eagle said.
The road had been closed but was re-opened for light vehicles by 6.30am.
A specialist crash team was still analysing the scene, and the car which had been carrying the two men remained in the middle of the road.
Further north, a 22-year-old male driver died after being thrown from his vehicle in a crash near Rotorua at 4.55pm yesterday.
The crash happened when the man's car failed to take a moderate bend and rolled several times in the settlement of Owhata, 8km from Rotorua.
The man's passengers, a 21-year-old woman and two youths, were taken to Rotorua Hospital with minor injuries and later released.
Sergeant Brett Cooper said early signs indicated speed, alcohol and failure to wear seatbelts had been factors in the crash.
- NZPA
