3 Jan 2011

Holiday road toll now 11

9:11 am on 3 January 2011

The holiday road toll is now 11, following a crash on State Highway Six in in Marlborough.

Police say a man died when his vehicle went off the road near Canvastown at about 9pm.

Earlier in the day, Sean Coe, 20, died in Waikato hospital after a crash near Horotiu on New Years Day.

Also on Sunday, a man died after two motorbikes heading in opposite directions collided on State Highway 25 near the town of Coromandel.

Thirteen people died during the holiday period last year.

Seventeen people died on the roads in 2008 and 24 in 2009. The highest road toll was 40, in 1978.

Superintendent Paula Rose told Summer Report that young people are over-represented in the death statistics. She said many, who are on graduated driver licences, are inexperienced drivers.