Two-year-old girl killed in crash

Police and emergency services at the scene of a crash where a car rolled on the Expressway near Hastings. Photo / Warren Buckland

A two-year-old child has died after being flung from a rolling vehicle.

The crash occurred on the Hawke's Bay Expressway halfway between Omahu Rd and Flaxmere Ave just before 5pm last night.

Police believe that the car - a Nissan Primera - crossed the centre line, rolled, and landed in a ditch on the side of the road.

District Command Centre Senior Sergeant Dan Foley said the child, sitting in a carseat in the rear of the car, was thrown as the car rolled over.

"Despite efforts from police and ambulance services to revive her the girl died at the scene," Mr Foley said.

Police are unsure at this stage what caused the crash but investigations are continuing.
The child's mother and another female passenger were injured in the crash and taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital for treatment.

All three were from Flaxmere.

Mr Foley said part of the investigation will include obtaining a blood sample from the driver and determining whether or not another car was involved. The highway was closed from Omahu Rd to Longlands Rd and traffic was diverted at those two roundabouts while crews cleared the crash site.

The fatality is the second death on Hawke's Bay Roads in 2016.

Bradley Charles Dobby from Waipukurau was killed after a crash involving a ute and a car, near Waipawa on State Highway 2.

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.