Two people died in separate crashes in the upper South Island yesterday.
A woman was killed when a 4WD vehicle rolled into the verge on State Highway 6, 40km north of Murchison, yesterday evening, Constable Blair Hall of Murchison police said.
Nelson woman Monique Jane Best, 20, died at the scene anda 29-year-old Nelson man was taken to Murchison hospital with minor injuries.
An 18-month-old child fastened into a child restraint was uninjured, Mr Hall said in a statement.
Several possible causes were being investigated for the northbound vehicle leaving the road, including the possibility of black ice. The weather at the time of the crash had been clear and cold.
In the other fatal crash, Motueka man Darrin Heath Burke, 31, died in a head-on collision on State Highway 60 at Mariri, just south of Motueka about 3pm.
Two people were taken to Nelson Hospital with moderate injuries.
The deaths bring the road toll so far this year to 241, compared with 225 at the same time last year.
