Police are pleading with drivers to take better care after nine people died yesterday in the worst day on New Zealand roads in more than a decade.
Five members of the same family died after a car crashed into a tree near Taupō yesterday, three others died in a crash near Ashburton, and one other died after flipping his car into a lake near Auckland Airport.
Assistant Commissioner Sandra Venables, speaking this morning to TVNZ1's Breakfast programme, said drivers need to realise they are responsible when they are behind the wheel.
"It's our responsibility to make sure that we're focused on what we're doing when we're on our roads," Ms Venables said.
Five people died in a crash near Taupō, three in a crash in Asburton and one person died in an Auckland crash.
"Just focus on what your role is at that time - which is to drive your vehicle safely."
She called the deaths on the roads yesterday a tragedy, and urged drivers to ignore their phones and passengers so they can just focus on the road.
Ms Venables also asked drivers to remember to give themselves plenty of time to reach their destination so they're not in a rush, and to be courteous to other drivers.
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