KEY POINTS:
The official weekend road toll stood at seven this morning with the total number for year at 24.
A 64-year-old woman was killed about midday yesterday when the car she was driving was crushed under a truck and trailer combination which rolled on a corner on the Rimutaka Hill Road between Wairarapa and the Hutt Valley.
The woman died at the scene and her 54-year-old male passenger was flown to hospital by the Westpac rescue helicopter with serious injuries.
Thousands of returning holidaymakers were delayed by up to 10 hours as a heavy crane was brought in to get the truck back upright so it could be removed.
Police and emergency services then had to clear spilled oil, diesel and soap power off the road before it could be reopened about 10pm.
Two of the fatal crashes were in Taranaki.
A 39-year-old Stratford woman died after a crash between an light truck and ute near Stratford early yesterday morning.
The victim sustained serious internal and leg injuries and had to be cut from the light truck. She died on the way to hospital.
Police investigations into the cause of the crash are continuing.
An hour earlier a man died in a two-car collision at Waitara.
A New Plymouth police spokesman said details were sketchy, but it appeared the man was the driver of one of the vehicles. Other people suffered minor injuries.
One person was killed in a crash on State Highway 7 at Mouse Point, 8km south-west of Rotherham yesterday afternoon.
Constable Phil Little, from Hanmer Springs, said the man died instantly. No one else was injured in the crash.
Witnesses say the elderly man crossed the centreline into the path of the truck.
In other fatal crashes, 15-year-old Dane Robert Marshall, from Alexandra, died after the car he was driving collided head on with another car, north of Roxburgh, in Central Otago on Saturday night.
Roxburgh police said the boy lost control of the car he was driving when trying to move back into the correct lane after crossing the centre line.
He was driving legally and held his restricted licence.
Early yesterday morning Scott Allen Sutherland, 33, of Whakamaru Village, Mangakino, died after he was thrown from his car and run over by a truck.
Sergeant David Frazer of Taupo police said the accident happened on State Highway 32, 5 kilometres south of Whakamaru Village.
Mr Frazer said Mr Sutherland appeared to be speeding in a Mitsubishi Galant which left the road and rolled several times on the grass verge.
Mr Sutherland was thrown into the centre of the road where he was hit by a truck and semi-trailer.
Police believe alcohol and speed were contributing factors and investigations were continuing.
The first fatal crash of the weekend happened in Kaipara in Northland.
Police said today that no details were available at this stage.
- NZPA
