KEY POINTS:
A crash that killed a woman near Morrinsville happened just hours after an operation targeting safety on rural roads, Waikato police said today.
A 49-year-old local woman died at the scene of the crash, which occurred just before 6pm yesterday at the intersection of Kereone Rd and Maungakawa Rd.
Matamata-Piako strategic crash unit head Sergeant Neil Mansill said initial indications were that a Ford Falcon car failed to give way at the intersection.
The car, in which the woman was the sole occupant, had driven directly into the path of a four-wheel drive.
The woman's name is expected to be released today.
Mr Mansill said the crash came as a heavy blow to police who had completed an operation focusing on driver and vehicle safety on Eastern Waikato roads only that afternoon.
"On hearing the news, staff were pretty upset that, despite their best efforts that day, this tragedy wasn't able to be averted," he said.
The operation, carried out with court bailiffs, resulted in 2241 vehicles being stopped in the Matamata-Piako and Hauraki areas.
Bailiffs impounded seven vehicles, the drivers of which had outstanding fines, while police impounded three others.
Mr Mansill said one car stopped at Tahuna had been going at 145kph.
At Waitoa, a mother driving with her child was found not to have a licence, warrant of fitness for her car or registration.
"She told us she had been fined $800 for the same thing the week before," said Mr Mansill.
One driver stopped had an excess breath alcohol reading of 773mgms, another blew 563mgms.
The legal limit for an adult driver is 400mgms per litre of breath.
Mr Mansill said the operation and the fatal crash showed the importance of a highly visible police presence in both towns and rural arterial routes.
He said similar operations would be held in future.
- NZPA
