Victim of Pakaraka fatal crash named - Northland's 2021 road toll rises to 5

Three helicopters responded after three people were injured - one critically - in this crash on SH10 south of Kaeo, just hours before a man was killed in a similar crash on SH1 at Pakaraka.

Police have released the name of a man who died in a crash on State Highway 1 at Pakaraka on February 19.

He was Monty Thomas Shelford, aged 41, of Kaikohe.

His death brings the Northland road toll for the year so far to five.

Senior Constable Warren Bunn, of the police Serious Crash Unit, said the crash occurred about 11.30pm when the man's Mazda hatchback veered off the left-hand edge of the road 2km west of Ludbrook Rd, near the historic Holy Trinity Church.

He over-corrected, crossed the centreline and went over a bank on the other side of the road before his car hit two trees. He died at the scene.

He was wearing a seatbelt. Fatigue may have been a factor given the time of night. Police were still waiting for the results of blood tests to determine if alcohol was involved.

The fatal crash came just hours after a serious accident on State Highway 10, south of the Matauri Bay turnoff, which left three people badly injured.

In that case a Nissan Tiida was heading south about 1.15pm with three occupants when the driver drifted off the left-hand side of the road at a sweeping right-hand bend near a layby known locally as ''the chicken stop''.

The driver over-corrected, crossed the centre line and rolled.

One passenger, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was thrown from the vehicle and critically injured.

She was airlifted to Auckland City Hospital and placed on life support.

The other two occupants were seriously injured and also flown to hospital. Three rescue helicopters responded along with police, volunteer firefighters and St John Ambulance.

The cause of that crash is still being investigated but Senior Sergeant Steve Dickson, the head of Northland road policing, said charges were likely.

Dickson said his advice to drivers remained unchanged.

''Don't speed, drive to the conditions, wear seatbelts. Don't drink and if you're tired stop for a rest or change drivers. Take your time. It's better to arrive alive.''

The other lives lost on Northland roads so far this year were a six-year-old boy at Hikurangi on January 1, a 64-year-old woman found deceased in her car off Kaitaia-Awaroa Rd on January 29, and a 64-year-old woman and 25-year-old man near Moerewa on February 1.