A crash near Waiotapu in the early hours of this morning is a timely reminder not to drive when tired and to take regular breaks when driving long distances, police say.
Officer in charge of road policing Senior Sergeant Nicky Riordan said a refrigerated truck and trailer unit crashed onState Highway 5 about 1.40am.
Investigations are continuing but police believe fatigue may have been a factor in the crash.
Mrs Riordan said the truck ended up in a paddock so the road wasn't closed following the crash. The vehicle was removed this morning.
While the stretch of State Highway 5 near Waiotapu has been in the news lately after residents labelled it a "death trap", she said the road and environmental conditions didn't play a part in the latest crash.
The national road safety message in December was focusing on fatigue and taking regular breaks while driving, and Mrs Riordan said this was a timely reminder of that message.
