Three children critically hurt in a crash in Kawerau today were not wearing seat belts, police say.

A helicopter has crashed on the Banks Peninsula, less than 24 hours after two hunters walked away from a crash in Fiordland.

Two teenagers are seriously ill in Middlemore Hospital with extensive burns after a gas cylinder is thought to have exploded in their faces.

An inquiry into a fatal mid-air collision has revealed a huge increase in dangerous close calls in the skies - and sparked pleas for change from grieving families.

Kevin McGarry lost both legs after being trapped under a burning motorbike when he crashed into an electric fence.

Phillip Bannan bought three bottles of wine and - after several afternoon drinks - decided to drive 87km from Akaroa to Christchurch.

The manufacturers of the Bombardier say yesterday's Blenheim incident was the third one of its kind worldwide in less than a week.

An unlicensed drink driver who fled police and ran a red light before crashing into a car, killing two, has pleaded guilty to their manslaughter.

Eighty people who lost family members in the 1979 Erebus tragedy will travel to Antarctica on a remembrance flight this summer after their names were drawn in a ballot.

We asked readers what they thought of the Govt's plan to change NZ's right-turn rule in 2012, and found little consensus.

TAIC is investigating the standard of pilot training in NZ after a sharp rise in fatalities and near misses involving training aircraft.

The AA refutes a US study which claims banning cellphone use while driving was counter-productive and encouraged covert behaviour behind the wheel.