Spate of serious crashes in Bay of Plenty prompt police warning

Roads have been closed after several crashes around New Zealand. Photo / File

At least 12 people have been injured in separate crashes around New Zealand, including two serious collisions in the Bay of Plenty.

The crashes resulted in road closures and warnings for motorists to expect delays while diversions were in place.

A pedestrian was seriously injured yesterday after a crash with a car on State Highway 1, Ōruanui, between Rotorua and Taupō.

Emergency services were called to the crash, which closed the road, at 2.44pm.

A rescue helicopter flew the injured pedestrian to hospital and the road was reopened at 4.20pm.

The night before, a person was left critically injured near Taupō after a two-vehicle crash at 11.30pm on the East Taupo Arterial route in Rotokawa.

One person was initially trapped but later then flown by helicopter to Rotorua Hospital in a critical condition.

The road was closed until about 4am.

In Christchurch four people were injured yesterday , one seriously, after two cars and a camper van crashed.

Another six people were injured and part of State Highway 56 was blocked after a four-vehicle crash at Tiakitahuna, southwest of Palmerston North.

One man in his 60s was flown to Auckland City Hospital in a critical condition after crashing his car on the Tuakau Bridge-Port Waikato Rd. His car rolled several times before coming to rest on its roof just before 3pm.

Police warned motorists to expect delays as the road was closed and diversions in place and urged people travelling today to take extra care on the roads.