Don't let this happen to you

The last time New Zealand enjoyed a long holiday weekend, 12 people lost their lives on our roads.

They came from all over the country and from all walks of life. The oldest was 59, the youngest was just 6 months.

Those who lost loved ones included former All Black Keith Robinson, broadcaster Mark Sainsbury, entertainer John Rowles and award-winning Once Were Warriors scriptwriter Riwia Brown.

Today we tell their stories as police chiefs beg drivers to slow down and take more care.

Waitemata road policing manager Superintendent John Kelly warned that fatal crashes like those at Easter devastated whole families and communities.

"There'll be a classroom without a teacher on Tuesday, there'll be cubs or scouts or boys brigade without a leader and there'll be a rugby team that turns up to play tomorrow and a couple of players won't be there - they'll be in hospital or they're dead.

"Once the broken cars are towed away and the broken bodies are taken away in ambulances, we think the crash is over and it's not. The impact runs on for ages.

"People sitting down for dinner tomorrow and someone they expect to be there won't be sitting around the table."