Waihi crash victim not wearing seat belt - police

File phoe / NZ Herald

Police are reminding people to always wear the seat belts following a fatal crash in Waihi - the third fatality in the Waikato this year where the deceased was not wearing a seatbelt.

District Road Policing Manager, Inspector Leo Tooman, said emergency services were called to the scene of the crash on Trig Rd, 500m from the intersection with SH2, about 5.40pm.

"The crash is still under investigation by our Serious Crash Unit however initial indications suggest excessive speed and the not wearing of a seatbelt were major factors in the death of a 20-year-old local man.

"It appears the deceased had seen a friend drive past in a Mitsubishi car in the direction of his home so he has accelerated his Honda car to catch up to his mate."

Mr Tooman said the Honda caught up to the Mitsubishi, colliding with its rear end.

"The car in front suffered damage to its bumper while the Honda has left the road, flown over a driveway and collided with a large tree killing the driver."

The man's name has not yet been released.

"The male driver and a female passenger in the Mitsubishi were shaken but unhurt from the crash."

Mr Tooman said the crash claimed the life of the 20th person to die on Waikato roads this year, compared to 21 road deaths for the same period last year.

"It was also the third death in the Waikato of a person involved in a crash not wearing a seatbelt. Last year 11 people died in such circumstances and the most tragic thing about these fatalities is that a lot of them are avoidable if people would just take three seconds to make it click."

Meanwhile crash investigators will return to SH2 at Maramarua today to map out the scene of last Wednesday's fatal crash between a car and truck and trailer unit.

Minor delays can be expected between 9am and 11am.

- NZ Herald staff