As stated by National Road Policing Centre Director Superintendent Steve Greally:
A horrific past 12 hours on the road has seen seven people lose their lives.
Police are urging everyone to take responsibility and make good decisions every time they get behind the wheel.
The most recent fatality occurred in Ngongotahā today, after a motorcyclist collided with another vehicle at the intersection of Dalbeth Road and SH36 at around 11am.
The motorcyclist was taken to hospital but later passed away.
Earlier this morning, three people were killed in a crash near Geraldine, another two people died following a crash on the Waikato Expressway, and one person died in a crash in Dargaville.
It's horrific to have so many lives lost in such a short amount of time.
Police is committed to reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries caused by crashes on the roads.
We will continue to focus on people speeding and continue to pull over drivers who are not focused on what they are doing.
However, Police alone cannot change the number of people dying on our roads and nor can our road safety partners.
Every road user needs to play their part in getting to where they are going safely.
I feel for the families and friends who are grieving the loss of their loved ones right now.
Their lives have been changed forever.
So let's all play our part in taking better care on the road.
Please pay attention to the road, if you've been drinking - don't drive, and always wear your seatbelt or helmet if you're a rider.
