Two people have died in separate crashes on Christmas Eve, with accidents in Tauranga and north Auckland claiming the lives of a driver and a motorcyclist.
Police said a motorcyclist died after colliding with a car on Lloyd Street in Parkvale, Tauranga. Officers were called to the crash at about 8.20pm.
Emergency services responded to the two-vehicle crash but the rider died at the scene.
Two hours later, another person died in a single-vehicle crash on Pah Hill Road in Wharehine, north of Auckland.
The sole occupant of the vehicle died at the scene after emergency services were called to the crash at about 10.15pm.
Police’s serious crash unit attended both incident scenes.
The holiday road toll stands at two.
The official period began at 4pm yesterday and will run to 6am on January 3.