One person critical after crash south of Whangarei

Traffic backed up on State Highway 1 about 8kms south of Whangarei after a truck rolled.

A truck driver was taken to hospital in a critical condition after his truck rolled south of Whangarei yesterday evening.

A police spokesperson said the crash happened on State Highway 1 about 8kms south of Whangarei, near the bridge south of the northern intersection with Loop Rd just before 6pm.

Police said the driver was trapped and in a critical condition. He was taken to Whangarei Hospital after he was extricated from the vehicle.

The road was blocked and, at edition time last night, was expected to be closed for some time.

Light traffic was diverted down Loop Rd, but the detour was not suitable for heavy vehicle traffic. A heavy crane was required to clear the truck, which was on its side.

Northland has had a horror start to 2018 on the roads, with numerous crashes across the region and the road toll standing at nine, compared to five at the same stage of 2017. The situation seems to be worse during or after wet weather.

Northland road safety campaigners want more graphic images to illustrate the true trauma of vehicle crashes and the effects on people as the region's road toll soars.

A Northland Road Safety report presented to the Regional Transport Committee meeting this month sparked talk around a change in the way road safety messages were being delivered and interpreted by motorists.

Chairman John Bain said Northland made up 3.4 per cent of the New Zealand population but last year, with 40 fatalities, accounted for 11 per cent of the road deaths in the country.

"It's unbelievable we can punch above our weight in these drastic statistics."

He described it as another crippling and horrifying year on the region's roads.

Mr Bain said it was the "same old, same old" factors contributing to the deaths, including not driving to the conditions, failing to wear a seatbelt, drink-driving and speed.

He suggested "shock tactics" were needed to show people the carnage and reality of road crashes.