A woman was killed in a hit and run on State Highway 12 near Ohaeawai.
A woman was killed in a hit and run on State Highway 12 near Ohaeawai.
A senior police officer is calling for people to look after whanau and friends after two deaths on Far North roads put the road toll at 26 - only one less than last year's total.
A 67-year-old woman died after a hit and run near Ohaeawai on Friday night, whilea 10-year-old boy died after being hit by a car while riding a bike in Houhora on Saturday.
The deaths brought Northland's road toll for 2017 to 26. Last year's road toll for Northland was 27, which was up on the 22 people who died in Northland road crashes in 2015.
Inspector Chris McLellan, acting Northland road policing manager, said the number of crashes and fatalities on Northland roads was "unacceptable" and encouraged motorists to take care on the roads, monitor their speeds, wear their seatbelts and ensure they don't drink and drive.
"The way that we can help each other is to make sure we're looking after our family and our friends. We need to work together so that we keep an eye on our friends. If they're drinking, we make sure they get home safely, and if we see opportunities to prevent crashes then we do something about it," he said.
Mr McLellan said police were still seeking the driver of the car which hit the 67-year-old woman on State Highway 12, about 1km west of Ohaeawai near the repeater station, about 11pm on Friday. He asked members of the public to call police if they had any information.
"Or even if you're the driver of that vehicle, please come forward and talk to us. We have a family and whanau that are grieving and we need people to help us."
Sergeant Kevin Milne, of mid north police, said the vehicle will almost certainly have received damage as a result of the impact.
Meanwhile, police were speaking with the driver of the car which hit the young boy who was riding his bike on Kimberley Rd about 1.30pm on Saturday.
A neighbour, who lives a paddock across from the boy, said he lived with his grandmother. She said the first they knew of the accident was when a neighbour told them what was going on. They went out to find distraught family members crowding around the boy.
Mr McLellan said road crashes effected entire communities.
"From a police perspective, we're dealing with the families, and the victims, of the crashes and it effects the entire community. Not just police but our local community members, our iwi and all of the people of Northland," he said.
Anyone with information which would help police identify and locate the car or the driver involved in the hit and run can call Kaikohe police on 09 405 2960 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
