Victim of fatal crash was 6-year-old Wellington boy Myka Tuala

Police at the southern end of the SH1 diversion through Hikurangi after a child died in a head-on crash. Photo / Imran Ali

The child who died in a crash near Whangarei on New Year's Day has been named.

He was Myka Tuala, 6, from Wellington.

Myka died after a serious head-on crash On January 1 on State Highway 1 at Hikurangi - between George St and Jordan Valley Rd - about 4.20pm.

Police said a further five people have been injured, one critically, two seriously and two moderately.

The road was closed for several hours.

Today Myka's name was released.

"Our thoughts are with his family at this time," said police.

"Inquiries into the circumstances of the collision are ongoing."

Nine people have been killed so far on our roads during the holiday period.

The Ministry of Transport on Friday released the provisional road toll for 2020, revealing a "heartbreaking" 320 people died in crashes - on average six people every week.

Despite improving on 2019's toll, the ministry is calling it "an absolute tragedy".

It comes in the same year cars were off the roads for up to six weeks during the March Covid-19 lockdown and the launch of the Government's Road to Zero Road Safety Strategy to reduce deaths and serious injuries on our roads by 40 per cent over the next decade.

"We saw far too many tragic crashes last year and it's time we agreed that deaths or serious injuries on our roads are no longer acceptable," said mobility and safety manager Helen White.