Elderly woman driver dies in Kawakawa crash

An elderly woman believed to be from Kaitaia died when the car she was driving and another car collided head-on just north of Kawakawa on Friday morning.

The woman was believed to have been returning to Kaitaia after visiting family in Australia, but police had not released her name before yesterday afternoon's Northland Age deadline.

The other driver, also a woman, believed to be from Northland, was cut from the wreckage of her vehicle and was flown by rescue helicopter to Whangarei Hospital.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the accident, which occurred about 10.35am on the northernmost of Kawakawa's three bridges.

Sergeant Nathan Davis said the Serious Crash Unit was investigating the collision, which occurred in "perfect" driving conditions.

Speed did not appear to have been a factor but driver error may have been.

A young child in the south-bound car, whose driver survived, appeared to have escaped unscathed but was admitted to hospital for observation.

SH1 was closed for almost three hours, with traffic in both directions being diverted via Paihia.

The accident took Northland's road toll for 2012 to seven, the same number as for all of last year.