East Coast community still reeling over crash

A car accident that killed six people has sent shockwaves along the East Coast and left police shaking their heads over the failure of any of the victims to wear a seatbelt.

The six died when their car left State Highway 35 near Ruatoria and smashed into a tree about 6.45am on Saturday.

It was the second multiple crash in just over week - nine people died on May 18 when a tourist minibus crashed into a truck near Morrinsville.

Those killed on Saturday were Hamuera Randle Braybrook-Reedy, 2 1/2, Kui Makere May Reedy, 22, the driver, Hamuera Boyboy Harrison-Reedy, 22, Toni Marteena Grace, 17, Tania Maraki Reedy, 20, and Heni Walsh, 16.

They were from two families in Ruatoria and the nearby Te Puia township and they had been celebrating Tania Reedy's birthday in Te Puia.

Inspector Waata Shepherd said the bodies would be released to the families about noon today and a combined church service was planned at Evans Funeral Services in Gisborne before each body was taken back to the respective family marae on the East Coast.

The accident was the worst in the district since six people died after a head-on collision at Matawhero, near Gisborne, in 1972.

Mr Shepherd said the East Coast community was reeling.

"Because of the high number, many, many people have been affected."

Police say fog may have been a factor in the crash, but none of the six was wearing a seatbelt.

"A seatbelt doesn't guarantee you will survive a serious crash but wearing a seatbelt at least gives you a chance to survive," said Land Transport New Zealand spokesman Andy Knackstedt.

"If you don't have a seatbelt on, your chances are virtually nil."

He said that because six people were travelling in the Honda Integra car it was unlikely there would have been seatbelts for everybody.

Mr Knackstedt said it was disappointing and frustrating for police and emergency services to see people were not buckling up.

Police national road safety manager Superintendent Steve Fitzgerald said he would speak with Police Commissioner Rob Robinson about introducing demerit points for drivers who did not wear seatbelts or did not make sure their passengers belted up.

A similar strategy in parts of Australia had helped raise seatbelt rates to about 98 per cent.

Fitzgerald said New Zealand's rate was about 94 per cent but the 6 per cent were a hard group to reach, made up mostly of males and people living in rural areas.

"In the rural areas you need them significantly more than in the city because you have more of the element of speed."

He planned to take the proposal to the Police Commissioner, who would discuss it with the National Road Safety Committee, which would then advise the relevant ministers.

Two other people died on the roads this weekend in separate accidents, one of them also on the East Coast. At 4am yesterday a driver died when thrown from a vehicle at Kaiteritahi, Ormond, Gisborne. No other details were available.

About 7pm on Friday, Sheryll Lesley Pettigrew, 49, of Palmerston North, died when her car and a truck and trailer collided head-on.

The truck then hit a house and both burst into flames.

The truck driver suffered minor injuries and the sole occupant of the house bumps and bruises.