2023 has not been short of memorable events. NZ Herald video covered them all. Video / NZ Herald
Fifteen people have died on New Zealand roads over the Christmas holiday period as of New Year’s Day.
But police said despite crashes on our roads being the leading cause of death, the 340 road-related deaths in 2023 were down 34 from last year.
The holiday toll period, however, startedon December 22 at 4pm and officially ends at 6am on January 3.
Police have named Pāpāmoa man Brayden Tawa, 27, Hamilton woman Louise Quinn, and Aucklander Wenxuan Li, 22, among those who tragically lost their lives in fatal crashes during the holidays.
Emergency services at the scene of a fatal crash in Mount Maunganui. Photos / Cameron Avery
Tawa was killed in a crash between a car and a truck at the intersection of Aerodrome Rd and Hewletts Rd/State Highway 2, Mount Mauganui, on December 27.
Police said Tawa was the front-seat passenger of the car, and the driver and a back-seat passenger survived the crash with minor injuries, as did the driver of the truck.
Brayden Tawa died in a crash between a car and a truck at Mount Maunganui.
A police spokesman said the investigation into the cause of the crash was ongoing and extended police condolences to his family.
A rāhui has been placed on the stream,barring anyone from swimming or fishing.
Kāumātua from local marae Kauhanga have placed a rāhui on the Waikāinga from Shephards Rd to the Pēria Saleyards bridge.
The tight-knit Peria community was “devastated” by the incident, and Far North District Mayor Moko Tepania told RNZ it was “really tragic” to hear of the crash.
He said the community in Peria would be devastated and the district council had offered any support it could.
Last year, the Christmas-New Year road toll was 21.
According to the Ministry of Transport’s latest data, on Friday afternoon, the provisional road death toll for 2023 was 343.
The ministry’s road fatality data is updated daily.
“While crashes on our road continue to be a leading cause of death, we have provisionally seen 340 road-related deaths in 2023, which was down 34 from 2022,” police said.
“Despite this, our holiday road deaths currently sit at 15.”
The spokesman said while it was worth noting the reduction in overall deaths, there were “still too many people who didn’t get to spend the festive season with loved ones”.
“Speed, alcohol and drugs, and distraction are still the main causes of death and serious injury,” police said.
“Wearing your seatbelt can also be the difference between surviving a crash and not.”
