One dead, four hurt after cars collide in Waikato

Six crashes were reported in the space of three hours yesterday, police said. Photo / Supplied

One person died and four others were injured -- including a child and a pregnant woman -- after two vehicles collided head in south Waikato about 6pm last night.

Police said two people were seriously injured and two had moderate injuries, after the collision on State Highway One, just south of Hydro Rd.

"At this point we believe two vehicles, each with two occupants, have collided head-on," a police statement said.

According to a Westpac Rescue Helicopter statement, a south-bound people mover and a northbound sedan collided head-on.

The driver of the sedan remained trapped in the vehicle and died at the scene, while a five-months pregnant woman in her 30s -- a passenger of the people mover -- was flown to Waikato Hospital with a fractured sternum.

Several other passengers, from both vehicles, were transported from the scene by road ambulance.

One of the passengers was a child.

Two of the four patients have now been discharged from Waikato Hospital, including the child.

The pregnant woman, and a man are both stable in wards.

Traffic was diverted around the crash on Tirau Rd, Karapiro.

The police serious crash unit is investigating but say it is too early to determine the cause of the crash.

Six crashes were reported in the space of three hours yesterday, police said.

An hour after the Karapiro crash, there were two further crashes in the district -- one in Matamata where there were no injuries reported, and one in Huntly, where there were minor injuries reported.

"While not as serious as the Karapiro crash, all crashes have the potential to cause devastation to families," police said.

Then, at 7.30pm, a vehicle using the diversion around the Karapiro incident, crashed on Whitehall Rd.

This was a single car crash, and the driver was taken from the scene before police arrived.

"Safety is the message and adjusting your driving to suit the conditions," police said.

"As the festive season approaches everyone using the roads needs to ensure they are safe drivers ... we want to make sure that all of the family is around the table to celebrate Christmas."