"Police are concerned when any person is injured or killed on the roads, and even one person dying on our roads is unacceptable," he said.
"For those who are personally connected to someone who has died as a result of a crash, the trauma and impact on that family and their friends is devastating and long-felt."
Mr Burbery said there were myriad reasons why fatal crash statistics varied between districts, such as geography, weather, demographics and differences in roading networks.
"Central District has a lot of the major state highways running through it and thousands of motorists travel these daily. Our district covers a significant, geographically diverse area with coastal, alpine, and rural highways and roads which can be difficult to navigate, and extra care needs to be taken by motorists on these routes," he said.
"The common factor in Central's fatal crashes this year is that they were all preventable. Driver distraction has played a role in the majority of them and I can't reiterate enough that driving requires your full attention.
"It is a frustration that people have needlessly lost their lives on our roads and while we talk about numbers, these are people with families and friends and one death is too many," he said.
Mr Burbery said Central police would continue to analyse the cause of every road crash in a bid to reduce risk and educate drivers.
"We recognise that road safety is everyone's responsibility," he said.
"Despite the enforcement that police undertake and the education and road safety promotion that others get involved in, whatever happens on the roads is up to the individual decisions made by the drivers and road users out there.
"Road users need to do their part to reduce deaths and injuries on our roads right across New Zealand. That means drivers and passengers need to make good choices inside the vehicle, and friends and family doing their part to support and encourage safe behaviour.
"It doesn't matter if you travel on four wheels, two wheels, or feet. Road safety is everyone's responsibility and if we all play our part we can ensure no more lives are needlessly lost on our roads."
Police in the Waikato are also shaking their heads in disappointment at the number of fatalities on their roads.
Last year there were 21 crashes that claimed lives - 20 more have been recorded in the first half of this year.
Like Central, Waikato is a hefty patch. It covers the area between Te Kauwhata and Benneydale in the south, Raglan to the west and the Coromandel Peninsula to the east.
Its roads are well used by commuters, holidaymakers and tourists - all of whom can help bring the road toll down, says road policing manager Inspector Freda Grace.
"The district has a very busy network, it is a conduit for transport through the North Island for all modes of users," she told the Herald.
"Safety on our roads is paramount and what we are working to achieve. However, this is not just about enforcement. There is a significant amount the community can do to reduce the incidence of crashes."
Mrs Grace said each fatal crash was a tragedy.
"The impacts on the family and their communities are significant, as it is for all the emergency services that attend," she said.
"These are community tragedies and the best way for communities and police to ensure these are reduced is to work together."
