The threat of jail terms for drivers who flee police will not stop young offenders, a criminal psychologist says.

Roads and vehicles must be "more forgiving" to curb a road toll which averages more than one death a day, the AA says. Figures released by the Ministry of Transport today show 371 people died on the roads over the past year.

Police have named the 19-year-old who died when he was thrown out of a car as it plunged 25 metres down a cliff at the Pinewoods Motor Park in Red Beach, north of Auckland, early this morning.

The death of a 15-year-old driver who fled from police this morning was 'completely avoidable', say police. Timoti Mohi was driving a stolen car when he failed to stop for police and drove off at speeds of up to 180km/h.

Campers at a coastal campground north of Auckland are in shock after a teenager was thrown out of a car as it plunged 25 metres down a cliff at the campground early this morning.

Alcohol and speed contributed to more than half the 13 deaths on New Zealand roads over the holiday period.

The holiday road toll stands at 13, the same as last year, following two fatal crashes in Auckland overnight.

Superintendent Ted Cox was ticketed after he was clocked driving at 120km/h on Auckland's Southern Motorway, during a crackdown meant to cut the number of road deaths caused by speeding.

In the year to June 30, over 105,000 tickets were issued after drivers were snapped by fixed speed cameras.

A young man speeding at 174 km/h because he was 'late for lunch' is one example of some appalling driving in the holiday break.

Police have charged the 18-year-old driver of a van involved in a fatal crash near Rotorua in July.

The festive season is a time of excess. But as the country’s top traffic officer Paula Rose tells Alan Perrott, there is little cheer in counting its cost.

Families of the victims of a drunk driver rejected his expressions of remorse as he was jailed today.

A woman who was injured and lost her friend after a drink driver crashed into their picnic says she is still suffering from emotional trauma.