One person died instantly in a crash with a logging truck on the Hawke's Bay Expressway in Hastings.
Emergency services were called to the scene involving the truck and a car near Links Road at 7.53am.
Sergeant Paul Ormerod said a black Suzuki vehicle with one male occupant was travelling south on SH50a, while a McCarthy Transport logging truck was heading north.
"The Suzuki veered right into the path of the logging truck. The truck took evasive action as much as possible but the two vehicles collided, killing the occupant instantly."