Climbing road toll prompts warning

Police are urging motorists to take care as the national road toll reaches 15, with two of those deaths on Hawke's Bay's roads.

The most recent fatality was a Flaxmere child who died after being flung from a rolling vehicle.

Police believed the girl was not restrained at the time of the crash but did not know if she had been unrestrained initially, or if she had "unclipped" the restraint.

Children's Commissioner Dr Russell Wills said the incident would remind people of the importance of restraining children.

"All parents who have children in cars know to have them restrained.

"You never know when a crash might occur and a restraint might be a child's best chance of survival."

The year's first fatality was Bradley Charles Dobby, who was killed after a crash involving a ute and a car on January 3.

The Waipukarau resident died at the scene just south of Waipawa Bridge near Ongaonga Rd.

Road policing national manager Stephen Greally said education and police enforcement were just two aspects of keeping the roads safe.

"The driver and the decisions they make are also an important part of the road safety picture."

"As the driver of the vehicle you are responsible for making smart decisions that enable those in the car with you, and other road users, get to their destination unharmed."

"Drivers need to remember that not all roads are created equal - many of New Zealand's roads are unforgiving and leave no room for mistakes," Mr Greally said.

"Check your speed and know that the speed limit is the maximum speed you can travel at safely in ideal conditions.

"The decisions you make as the driver could be the difference between a great summer and one marred with the pain and devastation a fatal crash causes."

In 2015, 15 people died in road crashes in Hawke's Bay/Gisborne, four fewer than in 2014 and below the 15-year average of 23.