Holiday road toll on course for 54 year low

Aroha Ormsby died when she was thrown from the passenger seat of a car that rolled near Tokomaru Bay. Photo / Supplied

With less than 12 hours remaining in the Queen's Birthday Holiday weekend and just one recorded road death so far - the lowest toll in more than 50 years - police are trumpeting their zero tolerance approach to speeding as a factor.

Despite foul weather and driving conditions, the weekend has also seen a drop in the overall number of crashes, from 341 last year to 292, and the seriousness of those crashes.

Alcohol is believed to be a factor in the sole death so far, mother-of-three Aroha Ormsby, 28, who was killed when the car she was a passenger in crashed onto the beach at Tokomaru Bay, 91km north of Gisborne, around 5.30am on Sunday.

Ms Ormsby and the driver of the car had been drinking at a party all night about a kilometre from where they crashed, police said.

The official road toll finishes at 6am tomorrow.

Last year 10 people were killed in the Queen's Birthday holiday period. One death was recorded in 1956, the first year records were kept of holiday fatalities, and the next lowest was two deaths in 1995.

This year's low death toll was pleasing but not surprising, as reducing speed was an important part of reducing death and injury on the roads, road policing national manager, Superintendent Paula Rose, said.

Police introduced a "no excuses" policy towards all drivers breaking the speed limit this weekend and vowed to ticket all drivers caught travelling more than 4km/h over the posted permanent speed limit.

The low road toll and accident numbers could be a reflection of lower speeds, Ms Rose said.

"But also of drivers just taking that extra bit of care, it can make all the difference between life and death in some cases.

"The shocking weather throughout the country has also posed hazards and there are still people who are driving home. Our message to them is take care, take time, and take note of the warnings.

"If a road is closed, it is closed, don't try to get through. There is a lot of flooding, slips, and visibility is very poor in many areas."

That warning was too late for 26 motorcyclists heading to the Brass Monkey Rally in Central Otago who tried to travel the Danseys Pass, despite snow closing the road.

The group went past three warning signs and had to be rescued when they struck deep snow before the summit. Most of the group, aged from their early 20s to mid 70s, spent several hours on foot trying to walk the 14km through snow to the nearest hotel.

They were near the end of their endurance when they were found, but after warming up with a hot meal they were otherwise fine.

Snow also closed the nearby Lindis Pass, State Highway 8, from Omarama to Tarras today as ice and snow forced police to warn motorists throughout Central Otago to fit chains where needed.

High winds were buffeting SH6 between Harihari and Haast.

The Paekakariki Hill Road, north of Wellington, was closed this evening due to a slip.

The MetService was generally predicting showers and some thunderstorms for most of the country tonight but improving tomorrow.

In the South Island there would be rain or showers, falling as snow above 400m.

There would be snow about the Desert Road tomorrow and southerly gales would develop for Wellington and coastal Wairarapa tonight.

- NZPA