Calls for the government to simplify the rules around police pursuits.

Eight people died on the roads at the weekend, with three deaths coming from one crash following a police pursuit near Nelson.

It's understood the decision to continue that pursuit was made by a controller in the police communications team rather than an officer at the scene.

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AA's General Manager of Motoring Affairs Mike Noon told Mike Hosking it becomes increasingly difficult for them to make a split second decision.

"With the policies and reporting back to the centre and who's controlling the pursuit and whatever, they keep on finding they are outside of their rules and conducting the police because it got too complicated."

The driver fleeing police near Nelson tried to overtake a truck about 5.40am on Sunday but collided with an on-coming vehicle on State Highway 6, killing three people.

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One of the victims was a motorist in the oncoming car.

On average, about 10 drivers flee police every day. Between October 2016 and September last year, seven deaths and 552 crashes were recorded. Six people have died in police pursuits in the last five months alone.

Yesterday's crash brought the year's national road toll to 77 - nine more than at the same time last year.

Fatal crashes this weekend:

• Three dead in Nelson, Marlborough. Sunday 5.40am.

• One dead in Hikurangi, Northland. About midnight Saturday.

• Two dead north of Kaeo, Far North. 2.20pm Saturday.

• Two dead near Whakapapa, central North Island. 6.40am Saturday.

LISTEN TO MIKE NOON TALK WITH MIKE HOSKING ABOVE