Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

Road crashes: Six people dead in less than four weeks on Northland roads

Karina Cooper
By Karina Cooper
News Director·Northern Advocate·
23 Apr, 2021 05:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Emergency services at the scene of Thursday's fatal head-on collision in Ruakākā. Photo / File

Emergency services at the scene of Thursday's fatal head-on collision in Ruakākā. Photo / File

Six people have died in 22 days on Northland roads with police dubbing April a "tragic, tragic" month.

And with the long weekend kicking off today police have issued a stern warning to motorists to be at their very best and if not, stay off the road.

"We want you to drive as safely and carefully as you can. If you're not prepared to do that then we don't want you on our roads," acting Northland road policing manager Steve Dickson said.

The latest fatality in the region was a head-on collision between a truck and a ute on Pokapu Rd near the intersection with One Tree Point Rd on Thursday afternoon.

Three other people were seriously hurt in the crash - two of whom were airlifted to Starship Hospital in Auckland. Police were not in a position to release more details about the crash at edition time.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Dickson described the 13 lives lost on the region's roads this year as tragic and avoidable outcomes inflicting unnecessary grief on their families.

"They were all caused by someone making a mistake on the road. The smallest of mistakes, like not giving way or not looking properly, can have the most tragic outcome."

The fact four fatalities in April were motorcyclists - all men with three in their 50s - was a painful reminder for motorists to look out for the vulnerable group of road users, Dickson said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Northlanders and visitors this weekend need to be at their very, very best when driving on the roads. Be careful at intersections, watch out for others, take the time to be considerate, be cautious, don't speed, and avoid all distractions - particularly cellphones."

From April 30 any motorist pinged using their cellphone will receive a $150 fine - a $70 increase from previous penalties - and 20 demerit points. Anyone who accumulates 100 demerit points from driving offences within two years loses their licence for three months.

Dickson urged everyone before getting into their vehicles to be well-rested, have eaten, be sober, and make sure everyone is wearing a seatbelt.

"If we had every driver doing these things then our roads will be a while lot safer and we people wouldn't have to deal with the grief of someone dying too early."

Discover more

New Zealand

Emergency services at fatal crash in Ruakākā, motorcyclist dies in Havelock North

22 Apr 04:57 AM
New Zealand

Fourth motorcyclist killed in less than two weeks

15 Apr 11:33 PM

Missing rider found deceased down bank off Kaitaia-Awaroa Rd

12 Apr 04:17 AM
New Zealand

One dead in Northland crash involving motorcycle - seventh Easter weekend fatality

04 Apr 12:23 AM
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

Northland businesses unite for CCTV initiative to combat crime

Northern Advocate

Two charged with neglect 10 years after 4yo's death in Kaikohe

Northern Advocate

Major water leak forces school closure for urgent repairs


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northland businesses unite for CCTV initiative to combat crime
Northern Advocate

Northland businesses unite for CCTV initiative to combat crime

Business groups in the Far North are uniting to enhance community safety.

17 Jul 04:00 AM
Two charged with neglect 10 years after 4yo's death in Kaikohe
Northern Advocate

Two charged with neglect 10 years after 4yo's death in Kaikohe

17 Jul 02:17 AM
Major water leak forces school closure for urgent repairs
Northern Advocate

Major water leak forces school closure for urgent repairs

17 Jul 01:26 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP