Death crash in horror week

The scene near Awanui, where a 61-year-old woman died. Photo / Peter Jackson

Two serious crashes, including a fatality north of Kaitaia, come just as Northland's top traffic cop has warned motorists to take care on the region's roads during what is traditionally a black time.

A 61-year-old woman from Waipapkauri died near Awanui after her car left the road and collided with a concrete fence post about midday yesterday.

The fatal crash comes just a day after two tourists were hospitalised after they allegedly pulled out in front of a logging truck in Whangarei, and after 27 crashes were reported on Northland's roads in the first six days of October.

Crash investigator Senior Constable Warren Bunn said the woman was the only person in the car yesterday and had been travelling south near Awanui when she failed to take a moderate left-hand bend. The car left the road and hit a fence.

The woman died at the scene. On Wednesday, two tourists were injured after clipping a logging truck then slamming into a rock wall on Western Hills Drive.

They were pulled from the car when passers-by could smell hot fuel.

And last Sunday, the jaws of life had to be used to cut seriously injured people from two separate cars after a head-on collision near Towai.

A truckie was still recovering from injuries he suffered when the suspension on the fully laden logging truck he was driving snapped and caused the vehicle to roll and career across State Highway 1, near Oakleigh, on Monday.

A woman driving an oncoming car was lucky to escape injury after one of the logs came hurtling towards her as she braked. The log ended up wedged under her car.

With 27 crashes reported in Northland in the first six days of this month, police are hoping last year's horror October - when three people died on the region's roads in four days - won't be repeated.

Yesterday's fatal crash brought Northland's road toll for the year to 12 - the same as for the corresponding period in 2013. There were 21 road deaths in Northland last year.

Road policing manager Inspector Murray Hodson said there were three fatal crashes last October and, with more people on the roads as summer approached, it was time to take extra care when driving.

"History shows this is a high risk period on the roads over spring and drivers need to adjust to the conditions and be patient," Mr Hodson said.

He had noticed more vehicles on the road and said the traffic volume would only increase with longer days and people travelling north to enjoy the coastline.

He recommended motorists take a break every two hours, maintain safe following speeds and follow speed restrictions.

He said speed was the leading cause of most serious crashes.

On October 7 last year, 21-year-old Rutene Wikotu of Kaitaia died at the scene of a crash on Allen Bell Drive about 8.30am. The high-speed crash left his car wrapped around a tree on a suburban street.

A day later, an 86-year-old man drove off SH10 into a culvert near Kaeo and died.

Last October 10, a 28-year-old man died in his badly damaged car after crashing into a vehicle pulling out of a driveway near Kensington Ave.