Complacency will result in more fatal North crashes, police say

More people will die on Northland's roads through complacency unless drivers take more care and pay more attention to the road, Northland's top road cop says.

Northland's road toll is now 15, after a 65-year-old man died when two cars collided at Kareponia Hill on State Highway 10, near Awanui, at 5.45pm on Tuesday. Twelve people had died on our roads at the same stage last year.

The man died at the scene and police were yet to release his name .

Northland road policing manager Inspector Wayne Ewers said both cars had two occupants and the man had to be cut from the wreckage. The road was closed for a while and traffic diverted.

The three other occupants of the two vehicles were taken to hospital with moderate to serious injuries.

Mr Ewers said complacency seemed to be behind many of the fatal and serious injury crashes in Northland.

''A lot of the messages are not getting through to a lot of motorists. Don't drive after drinking or taking drugs, don't drive too fast, be patient and drive to the conditions.

''A lot of it is complacency, people seem to think it won't happen to them and decide to overtake that car in front because they think it's going too slow.''

Mr Ewers fears last year's horror road toll of 40 in the region will be exceeded this year.

One of the most frustrating things about the rising toll was that most deaths could be prevented if motorists stuck to basic safety rules, he said.