The worst Queen's Birthday road toll in 27 years underlines the need for more road safety and police funding, Labour says.
Eleven people had died by last night over a harrowing Queen's Birthday weekend. There have been 152 road deaths this year.
Labour's police spokesman Stuart Nash said the weekend's crashes coincided with a funding cut for road safety, and fewer police officers on the road.
"Between 2013 and 2015 the road toll has increased by 68, making us one of the only countries where road deaths are rising.
"Funding pressures from the Budget have forced police to remove 100 police officers from road patrols. That will lead to more deaths on the road."
Last month's Budget gave police close to $300 million extra over four years, the first significant boost in five years, most of which will go towards covering pay increases.
Asked if more money was needed, Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss said many serious crashes were down to poor driver choices.
"Most of the issues that we are seeing on the road are about really bad decision-making, regardless of more or less money for the police.
"If drugs are prevalent, or too much drink, or fleeing from police, or not wearing a seatbelt or not putting the kids in a seatbelt, or not wearing a helmet, actually there are a lot of decisions made, which sadly play out really, really badly for the people and their families."
According to forecasts, police numbers will remain steady at 8907 through to and including 2019/20.
