Second victim of fatal expressway accident named

The two women's car smashed head-on into another vehicle while travelling the wrong way in the southbound lanes of the Waikato Expressway. Photo / Christine Cornege

The two women who died in a head on collision after they drove the wrong way down a Waikato highway on Tuesday have been publicly identified.

They were driver Eunice Griffiths, 82, and passenger Vina Wills, 81, both of Huntly.

Witnesses saw the Mazda car the two woman were travelling in join State Highway 1 at the Ohinewai Interchange on-ramp on the Waikato Expressway and travel south, Inspector Leo Tooman said.

The car then made a U-turn about two kilometres before the crash.

"The Mazda has then travelled north, on the wrong side of the median barrier and collided with a southbound Honda Civic sedan."

The expressway - divided by a wire median barrier and with two lanes in both directions - has a speed limit of 100km/h.

Christian Travis, 32, of Takapuna, was driving the Honda and suffered serious injuries and was recovering in Waikato Hospital.

One northbound motorist filmed the car and gave the film to police to review.

The women's deaths take Waikato's road toll to 37, compared to 34 for the same period last year, Mr Tooman said.