Six die in grim weekend on the roads

The Labour Weekend road toll stands at six with the death of a person as a result of a crash on Monday afternoon at Waihi in Bay of Plenty.

Earlier a woman died when she was hit by a bus north of Wellington.

The weekend's tragedies began on Saturday when two women died as a result of a head on collision near Taupo. The women were killed when a car crossed the centre line on State Highway 1 at Five Mile Bay and collided with a four-wheel-drive vehicle shortly before 3pm.

The car's 79-year-old driver died at the scene while the 53-year-old passenger of the four-wheel-drive died shortly after she was taken to Taupo Hospital. The driver escaped with only minor injuries.

A 16-year-old Richmond boy also died on Saturday after he rolled his four wheel drive vehicle in Nelson's Maitai Valley.

And a motorcyclist died in a crash near Greymouth on Sunday night after crashing into a bridge on State Highway 6 at Coal Creek. The rider was travelling with a group of friends and police believe speed may have been a contributing factor.

Investigations are continuing.

Meanwhile, police have named the man who was killed when a four-wheel-drive rolled into a river off the Maungatapu Track in Nelson's Maitai Valley on Saturday, injuring two others.

He was 16-year-old Tod Woodman of Richmond.

Emergency services were alerted to the crash at 5:40pm by one of the vehicle's occupants, who ran from the scene to get help.

Last year four people were killed on Labour weekend.

The toll period runs from 4pm Friday until 6am Tuesday.

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