Police are urging drivers to put away their phones and watch their speeds, as they head home from their holidays.
Eleven people have already lost their lives on New Zealand roads this holiday period, more than double the four lives lost last summer holidays.
The latest fatality involved a collision between a truck and a car on State Highway 29, in the Lower Kaimai area, on Monday morning. The road re-opened at about 10am.
Andy Jackson/Stuff
Police are urging motorists to drive to the conditions on the last day of the official summer holidays. (File photo)
On New Years Day, a two-car crash in Northlands Hikurangi killed Wellington 6-year-old Myka Tuala.
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As Monday is the last day of the official holiday period, police Assistant Commissioner Scott Fraser said there will be a lot of traffic on the roads around the country.
Brodie Jaeger/Supplied
Flooding near Opotiki on Sunday nearly submerged small cars now police are warning motorists to drive to the conditions.
Many areas have been impacted by bad weather in the last few days, making it even more important for all drivers to remain focused and make the right decisions, he said.
We know people will be keen to get home and the weather conditions will make driving challenging in many parts of New Zealand, he said.
But we don't want to see any more families impacted by tragedy this holiday period, and we need all road users to play their part in getting everyone home safely.
Fraser said drivers need to keep their speed down, drive to the conditions, watch their following distances, put the phones away and take a break if they feel tired.
By doing these simple things, we look after our families, each other and everyone on the roads.
The official holiday period began at 4pm on Christmas Eve and runs until 6am on January 5.
On Christmas Day, two people were killed in rural south Auckland when the car they were in crashed into a power pole.
On Boxing Day, two more people died when their car hit a bridge in West Auckland.
A man and a woman died after a milk tanker and a motorbike collided in Southland on December 28.
A person died when two cars smashed together in Pahatua north of Masterton on December 29.
Another person died following a crash in Dairy Flats, Auckland, on December 29.
The Christmas-New Year road toll rose to nine following a single-car crash on Russley Rd, Christchurch on December 30.
The toll then rose to 10 on New Year's Day following the death of a 6-year-old Wellington boy. He died following a two-car crash on State Highway 1 at Hikurangi, just north of Whangrei in Northland.
The latest fatality involved a collision between a truck and a car on State Highway 29, in the Lower Kaimai area, on Monday.
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Police urge motorists to drive safely as road toll is almost triple last summer's - Stuff.co.nz
