Six people lost their lives following crashes around the country this weekend, making it the second highest weekend road toll this year.
A 15-year-old cyclist was killed following a collision with a car on the Oteha Valley Rd north-bound off ramp in Albany, Auckland, at 11pm on Friday night.
Tragically, the teenager died at the scene, and the driver of the car left the area without stopping.
The driver of the car, a 19-year-old woman, later came forward to police and was charged with dangerous driving causing death and failing to stop.
She is due to appear in North Shore District Court on Thursday, May 24.
This incident was followed a few hours later by two fatal crashes in Canterbury and Wellington.
Just before 3am on Saturday morning another teenager was killed following a serious crash in Wellington.
The deceased, 15-year-old Bailey Patmore from Cannons Creek, was a passenger in a stolen vehicle when it fled from police.
Wellington District Commander superintendent Sam Hoyle said the vehicle failed to stop for police on State Highway 1, near The Terrace Tunnel, at 2.44am.
A dog handler driving north on SH1 saw the small hatchback travelling at high speed and established it had been reported stolen from Petone the night before.
A pursuit was initiated, and the vehicle continued north on the motorway before crashing south of the Tawa interchange.
It was at this point the officer, who was alone, learnt there were six people in the vehicle – five seated in the vehicle and one in the boot.
The person in the boot died at the scene.
The five others — four teenagers and one 21-year-old, all from Porirua — suffered minor injuries and were checked at Wellington Hospital emergency department before being released.
Minutes later, a 24-year-old male died following a crash in Ashburton.
Emergency services were called to the single-vehicle crash on Wakanui Rd at 3am.
The driver of the vehicle died at the scene and three others suffered serious to moderate injuries.
The devastation on New Zealand roads did not stop there, with the next life being claimed a mere 12 hours later, when another 24-year-old male was killed in a crash on the Coromandel Peninsula.
Emergency services attended the two-vehicle crash on Kopu-Hikuai Rd, at 3.16pm
From one vehicle, the passenger died and the driver was injured. From the other vehicle, both the driver and the passenger were injured. All injuries ranged from serious to moderate.
Sunday bore no relief to the road toll, with two motorcyclists killed, one in Waihau Bay and one on the Kaimai Ranges.
A 58-year-old male died following a crash involving a motorbike and a car on State Highway 29 in the Kaimais at 3.36pm.
A 54-year-old female was killed in a crash at Waihau Bay in the eastern Bay of Plenty.
A police spokesman said they were called at 2.25pm to a collision involving a motorbike and a light van on State Highway 35.
A helicopter was dispatched but the woman died at the scene.
The six deaths brought this year's road toll to 154, which is 13 more than the same time last year.
A number of investigations will now commence, involving the Serious Crash Unit and the Independent Police Conduct Authority.
Two crashes in the Waikato also resulted in a number of serious injuries.
Nine people were injured in a two-car crash on Tahuna Rd in Hoe-O-Tainui at 3.47pm yesterday.
Two people were seriously injured, four people had moderate injuries and three had minor injuries.
Two other people were also seriously injured after a vehicle and train collided on Princess St in Ngaruawahia at 10.10pm last night.
The two people were taken to Waikato Hospital. One was discharged this morning, while the other was in a stable condition.
