The official holiday road toll has risen after a woman died three days after a crash on State Highway 3 south of Turakina. 

The woman was transported to Wellington Hospital after the crash on January 2 and died from her injuries yesterday. 

A police spokesperson said two other people critically injured in the crash remain in hospital in critical condition. 

“Inquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.” 

This brings the total to eight deaths recorded for the holiday period which ended at 6am on January 5, a sizeable drop from the 15 deaths reported last year, and even further from the 22 deaths during 2023/2024. 

Speaking before the latest death was added to the toll, director of road policing Superintendent Steven Greally said while the decrease was described as encouraging, it was still seven deaths too many. 

“Seven families have lost loved ones, for no good reason, and instead of being able to celebrate during this holiday season, their lives have been changed forever. 

“There are many contributing factors to lowering road trauma. Under Operation Open Roads, there has been an immense lift in police enforcement over the last three years, to address those areas of the network that have higher speeds and those others that have high risk. 

“This is likely to have played a part in the success over these years.” 

The Christmas holiday period officially began at 4pm on December 24 and ran until 6am yesterday. 

The last death recorded over the period occurred during a single-vehicle crash on Puhinui Rd, Papatoetoe late Monday. 

The sole occupant was critically injured and transported to hospital, but died soon after. 

Shortly after midnight on New Year’s Day, a vehicle crashed at the intersection of State Highway 26 and Cadman Rd, in Tirohia, killing the sole occupant. 

Another person died in a suspected hit-and-run on Kaipara Coast Highway that morning, with police appealing for footage and information from anyone travelling in the area between midnight and 5.30am. 

On December 31, a person died in a single-vehicle crash at the intersection of Orini Rd and McConnell Rd, in Orini, about 12.30am. 

Later that morning, a two-vehicle crash on SH1, near Kaikōura, shortly after 9.30am killed one person. 

Meanwhile, another road death was recorded on December 30 after a car plunged off SH2 into a bank in Tangoio, Hawke’s Bay. 

The first death over the holiday period was a man who was struck by a car on a Napier street on Boxing Day. 

He received critical injuries and died in hospital on December 29.