1 Jan 2011

Holiday road toll now 8

10:02 pm on 1 January 2011

A fatal crash in the Opotiki area, in the Eastern Bay of Plenty has brought the holiday road toll to eight.

Police say a car crossed the centre line on Waiotahi Beach Road about 5pm on Saturday, hitting an oncoming vehicle.

A man died shortly after he was flung through a windscreen.

There was one person in one car, and four in the other.

Three people have been taken to hospital with moderate to minor injuries.

There was another fatal crash in Hastings at about 1.45am on Saturday on Railway Road, off State Highway 50.

A 35-year-old man became trapped when his Holden Commodore flipped into a ditch and the car was partially submerged. He died at the scene.

The passenger who survived the crash and has moderate injuries flagged down a passing police patrol for help.

The holiday road toll period began on 26 December at 4pm and ends on 5 January at 6am.

The provisional road toll for 2010 stands at 373, which is 12 fewer deaths than the previous year.