Two motorcyclists die in separate Bay of Plenty crashes

Two people were killed in separate motorcycle accidents in the Bay of Plenty over the weekend.

A 24-year-old man died after a motorcycle crash on State Highway 38 in Murupara, near Kopuriki Rd, at 6.35pm last night.

Another man died in a motorcycle crash at Tauriko, near the intersection of Sycamore Rise and Cambridge Rd, at 4.30am yesterday.

A police media communications spokeswoman said inquiries were ongoing into both crashes and next of kin were being notified.

The fatal crashes were part of a series of serious crashes in Tauranga this weekend, which left commuters stranded for hours as emergency services cleared the scenes.

Four people were injured following a three-car crash just before the Wairoa Bridge on State Highway 2 at 4pm yesterday.

A police media communications spokeswoman said two people received serious injuries, one had moderate injuries and a fourth person had minor injuries.

One person suffered serious injuries following a head-on crash involving two cars on SH2, near Aongatete, between Thompsons Track and Walker Rd West at 1.47pm yesterday.

The spokeswoman said four people were involved in the crash, including three inside the car that left the road and crashed down a bank.

The road was closed for several hours and diversions put in place. A rescue helicopter was also called to the scene.

At 4.30am on Saturday, police were called to Pyes Pa Rd on State Highway 36, between Keenan Rd and Merrick Rd, after a car rolled trapping a man underneath.

A man, 29, was rushed to Tauranga Hospital with what was believed to be critical injuries.

A 22-year-old woman driving the car was also taken to hospital in a serious condition.

A Bay of Plenty District Health Board spokesman said the woman, from Tauranga, remained in a stable condition.

Police say road safety is "everyone's responsibility".

"The decisions you make as a driver impact not only you and those in your vehicle, but everyone else on road as well.

"Police want every driver, passenger and rider to get to their destination safely."