Two people have died in separate car crashes in the Waikato region overnight and police say both were not wearing seatbelts.
Five people were returning from working at the meatworks when their car crossed the centre line, lost control, spun out and hit a power pole before coming to rest in bushes on its roof.
Inspector Leo Tooman said one of the passengers was thrown from the car and died at the scene.
The crash happened at 2.18am on State Highway 16, south of Paeroa.
Police have named the man as Kipa Russell, 22, of Paeroa and formerly of Hastings.
"The four other occupants of the car, including the driver, were trapped in the car and seriously injured but survived the crash as could have this man if he'd taken two seconds to click in his seat belt.
"They are all reported as being in a serious but stable condition in Waikato Hospital," Mr Tooman said.
Five hours earlier a 47 year-old Huntly man died in a crash near Te Kauwhata when his car lost control in a road works area which has a speed limit of 30km an hour.
"Initial indications on the cause of the crash are that the car has failed to negotiate a bend, crossed the centreline, crashed through a fence and rolled several times before landing in a ditch," said Mr Tooman.
He said the driver was not wearing a seatbelt and was thrown from his car.
The driver died at the scene and a 14-year-old girl, travelling as a passenger in the car, was flown by helicopter with serious injuries to Waikato Hospital.
"Here we have another case where a death may have been avoidable had the driver taken the simple option of making his seatbelt click," Mr Tooman said.
The Waikato Police District Road road toll now stands at 14 compared to 17 for the same period last year.
- NZHERALD STAFF
Waikato crash victims not wearing seatbelts
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