Drivers involved in fatal Northland crash knew each other

Police survey the fatal crash scene south of Lookout Hill near Whangārei. Photo/ Michael Cunningham

Two cars travelling in convoy collided in passing lanes south of Whangarei, with both vehicles crashing off the road down a steep bank, killing one of the drivers.

Police investigating the crash have said speed was a factor and a 45-year-old Whangarei man who was not wearing a seatbelt was thrown from the vehicle as it went down a bank. He died at the scene.

The 25-year old man driving the other vehicle suffered a broken leg and was able to free himself.

Police say the men knew each other.

The death brings the region's road toll to 21 and came a day after an eight-hour police blitz across Northland, involving about 90 officers, focused on targeting high-risk drivers.

Senior Constable Russell Rawiri at one of the checkpoints across Northland as part of a blitz on Friday. Photo/ Tania Whyte

Sergeant Ryan Gray said the crash on Saturday happened about midday as the two cars were travelling north towards Whangarei.

As the cars went up passing lanes, opposite Longview Estate Winery on Lookout Hill, they appeared to have collided.

Gray said the road remained open as emergency services worked and police surveyed the site but was closed temporarily when both vehicles were put on tow trucks. They would be examined as part of the investigation.

Four hours later emergency services were called to another crash along the road on State Highway 1, just south of Toetoe Rd.

Gray said the crash was a nose to tail and no one was injured.

And on Friday night two crashes within half an hour kept emergency services busy. The first happened on Gibbons Rd in Kaiwaka and appeared to involve one vehicle.

One person suffered serious injuries and was transported by helicopter to Whangarei Hospital. The police serious crash team were called to the scene.

In the second crash, a car came off the road and hit a fence on Vinegar Hill Rd just before 8.45pm, with one person suffering minor injuries.

Northland's top traffic officer, Inspector Wayne Ewers, said the fatality was disappointing, particularly as it came a day after the police blitz across the region.

Officers operated pop-up check points between Houhora in the north and Maungaturoto in the south for the operation.

Inspector Justin Rogers and Senior Constable Neil Pennington on the job at a checkpoint in Whangarei. Photo/ Tania Whyte

It was aimed at netting vehicle or driver infringements including having no registration, warrant of fitness, driver licence, not wearing seatbelts and alcohol or drug impairment.

Short, sharp and then on to the next location, the road checks started at 1am and went until about 9pm and hundreds of motorists were stopped.

"The results of the operation were disappointing given the number of people we found still just not doing the basics. There were disqualified drivers, drunk drivers, drivers talking on cellphones and people speeding and not wearing seatbelts," Ewers said.

More than 100 infringement notices were given out to drivers for those offences, plus six vehicles were impounded and a further eight drivers were forbidden to drive.

Thirty drivers were referred to driver licensing programmes to help them obtain the correct licence to be able to drive legally.

An additional 12 drivers were given suspension notices after it was discovered they had exceeded 100 demerit points. Three cars were written off the road after it was deemed they were not safe. Two people were referred to the meth team to get help.

A visit by officers to a Kawakawa house to find a person who had failed to turn up to court revealed an indoor cannabis-growing operation.

A woman stopped at a checkpoint in Kamo tried to run away from officers but after a short foot chase that resulted in an officer being kicked and pepper spray being used the woman was arrested.

When she was breath tested 706 micrograms per litre of breath was recorded. The legal limit for divers 20 years and over is 150mcg.

Another female driver stopped after she was involved in a crash on Western Hills Dr about 2.30pm will now face drugs charges after a search of her car revealed three different types of drugs. She was put through an impairment test and blood samples were taken.

"It's disappointing to have so many unsafe drivers on the road during this operation and then to have another person die because of speed and not wearing a seatbelt is even more disappointing," Ewers said.

In a new move police detailed parts of the operation on the Northland Police Facebook page with regular posts, pictures and a video. Those following the page were divided in their opinion and support for the operation.