As flames engulfed the crashed car, firefighter Buddy Harwood knew an explosion was only minutes away.

A touching musical tribute today farewelled a "fun-loving, extroverted 12-year-old girl who enjoyed life" before she was killed in a horrific crash last weekend.

The widow of NZer Paul Weeks, who was on Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 when it vanished, has hit out at the Kiwi author of a new novella.

Stories of fatal crashes are told too often in New Zealand, and in the past six months there has been no shortage of examples.

The widow of New Zealander Paul Weeks has hit out at the Kiwi author of a new novella on the plane's disappearance.

Four people have been injured in a collision on Dunedin's southern motorway, in which one of the vehicles may have been travelling in the wrong direction.

A two-year-old boy is dead after being run over by a 1.5-tonne roller yesterday at his home.

A two-year-old child has died after being run over by a 1.5 tonne roller.

A former rental car company manager is backing a petition to introduce testing for overseas drivers.

The mother and sister of a NZ man killed in London are ready to go there as soon as his body is released to the family.

An American man was due to fly home with his wife the day after the vehicle he was driving crossed the centre line, hitting and killing an Auckland woman.

Memorials for two 12-year-old girls killed in a crash at Rakaia at the weekend have been inundated with well-wishes and messages of love and support.

A 21-year-old farm worker has been seriously injured in a quad bike accident in the Rangitikei district.

Memorials have been set up at schools attended by two 12-year-olds killed in a horrific road crash, with school friends leaving flowers and messages for the girls.

Police have still be unable to speak to an injured woman, four days after she drove 5kms the wrong way down the Southern Motorway, which killed an innocent motorist.

Prime Minister John Key does not believe laws need to be tightened around tourists driving on New Zealand roads.

Two of this weekend's fatal crashes involved tourists.

An innocent motorist who died after a wrong-way motorway crash was a keen dancer who participated overseas.

A Dutch tourist has been charged after a crash in Canterbury that killed a mother and two young girls.

Three people have been killed in a crash near Rakaia. Details of the crash were still sketchy but Ashburton Police senior sergeant Scott Banfield confirmed three people had been killed and two injured. The crash occurred at the intersection of Thompsons Track and Somerton Road shortly before 4pm Saturday.

Three people have been killed in a crash near Rakaia.

Police and Fire Services were called at 9am today to a fuel tanker overturned at Templeton in Canterbury.

The wife of a motorcyclist killed by a driver who fell asleep at the wheel says the woman is a coward for running from the scene.

The learner driver in a crash that killed a young Mosgiel brother and sister is alleged to have previously offered illegal taxi rides via a controversial Facebook page.