One dead in Hanmer Springs crash, bringing holiday road toll to three

Jollies Pass Rd in Hanmer Springs, where a fatal crash happened overnight. Photo / Google Maps

One person is dead and another has serious injuries following a crash in Hanmer Springs overnight.

The single-vehicle crash happened about 12.40am on Jollies Pass Road when the car collided with a tree, police said.

The driver died at the scene and a passenger was transported to hospital by helicopter.

The Serious Crash Unit is investigating.

Three people have now died on the road this Christmas holiday road toll period, which began at 4pm on Friday and ends at 6am on January 3.

Taxi driver Abdul Raheem Fahad Syed, 29, was the first to die within the road toll period, and another person died in a crash in Northland about 5.45pm on Saturday.

So far year, 372 people have died on New Zealand roads, the highest number since 2010.

The figure at this time last year was 311.