Three people have died on New Zealand roads in what has been a horror end to the school holidays.
Several crashes occurred around the country today, killing three people and injuring at least five.
A crash between a car and a truck on State Highway 1 killed a man and woman in the car. The truck driver was in a moderate condition in Tokoroa Hospital.
Diversions were in place northbound at Ongaroto Rd and southbound at Campbell Rd but the road has since reopened.
Another person died in a two-car crash on the lower Kaimais near Tauranga this afternoon.
Two people were injured - one seriously and the other moderately.
SH29 was closed in both directions but is now open to traffic.
Auckland-bound motorists can use SH2. Waikato-bound motorists can use SH36 via Ngongotaha and SH5.
Meanwhile two people have been injured in a serious crash near Paekakariki.
Two cars collided outside the Fishermans Table on SH1 north of Wellington and closed off the road for several hours.
Two people were taken to Wellington Hospital. One was in a serious condition and the other was moderate.
Drivers are being asked to avoid the area as congestion builds. The crash has been cleared but congestion remains on SH1 and on the detour, Paekakariki Hill Rd.
The school holidays also started off with a nightmare weekend of fatal crashes, with five happening in a 24-hour period.
One man died in a crash between a truck and his car near Waikanae, another man died after a crash on Ketemarae Rd in Hawera when his car hit a power pole, and another person died after a crash south of Waiouru on SH1 about 500m south of Springs Hill.
A motorcyclist died while fleeing police in Auckland, hitting a parked car.
A man died after the vehicle he was in flew off the road and hit a tree on SH1 in Northland, and another man died in Northland after a car plunged into a creek, trapping one of the occupants in the water.
The number of road deaths in the year to date is 249, up 14 from this time last year.