Regular users of a busy road south of Queenstown popular with tourists say safety is a real concern after the second deadly crash in two weeks.
One person was killed and nine others were injured after a tourist bus and a car collided on State Highway Six on a route used by people visiting Milford Sound.
The car was heading north towards Queenstown when police say the driver crossed the centre line and collided head-on with the southbound bus just outside Kingston.
One person in the car was killed, while another was flown to Dunedin Hospital with serious injuries.
Police say the vehicle was a rental car.
The seven passengers on the bus, plus the driver, were treated at Lakes District Hospital in Frankton with moderate to minor injuries.
Two weeks ago a car collided with a bus on the Devils Staircase between Queenstown and Kingston, the driver of that car also crossing the centre line.
Locals who use the road daily say safety there is always a concern for them.
"I certainly think of it . I drive carefully if I'm driving, particularly in bad weather," local resident Bill Weir said.
A tour bus driver, Matthew Toomey, says drivers have to keep an eye out.
"You know where the danger spots are, and there are signs saying which side of the road to be on."
Sergeant Tod Hollebon of Te Anau Police says police have got to look at exactly why crashes are happening in the area.
"Individual responsibility is huge. People need to keep left. And that's a critical part of this inquiry as well," he said.
The New Zealand Transport Agency says the road is a priority because of the number of tourists who use it, which is why it has invested in extra safety measures like new road barriers and rumble strips.
The Serious Crash Unit is investigating the latest crash, which comes as the road is getting busier heading into summer.
SHARE ME