Police are describing a driver clocked doing 240 kilometres an hour as simply reckless.

The speed was recorded on the Waikato Expressway, north of Hamilton yesterday.

Waikato Road Policing manager Freda Grace says most holiday drivers are being patient and driving in an appropriate manner, but there were still a number driving at "crazy" speeds.

"You're just putting so many people, including yourself and any loved ones that you're travelling with, at extreme risk," she says. 

These included a driver who was clocked at 142km/h on State Highway 1 at Taupiri, south of Huntly on Christmas Day and readings of 189km/h on the Waikato Expressway and 181 at Horitui north of Hamilton on Boxing Day.

Ms Grace said all of these drivers had passengers or family with them and officers had been given a range of excuses, including they were late for a BBQ.