The driver of a rental car has died in a collision with a stock truck in Canterbury this evening -- the second person to be killed in a rental vehicle crash today, and the eighth road fatality in two days.
Police were called to the crash on State Highway 1, about 10km south of Greta Valley, about 6.30pm.
Witnesses said a small northbound rental car crossed the centre line and collided head-on into a stock truck and trailer unit carrying a full load of lambs.
The driver and sole occupant of the rental car died at the scene.
The truck driver was uninjured but understandably shaken, police said. The lambs on board did not appear to be injured and would be transferred to another vehicle.
The death has been referred to the coroner and investigations into the cause of the crash were ongoing.
Diversions were likely to remain in place until late this evening while the police serious crash unit completed a scene examination.
The crash comes after a Taiwanese national was killed in Christchurch this morning when a rental van and a 4-wheel-drive vehicle collided.
The passenger, who was in the rear seat of a Toyota Estima van carrying seven Taiwanese people, died at the scene of the crash, at the junction of Jones Rd and Dawsons Rd in Templeton, about 11.20am, police said.
Initial reports indicated the rented Estima had been travelling along Dawsons Rd while the 4x4 had been travelling along Jones Rd, police said.
The driver and five passengers of the van, and the driver and sole occupant of the 4x4, were taken to Christchurch Hospital with minor to moderate injuries.
"Canterbury police and victim support are currently arranging appropriate support for those involved in the crash," police said in a statement.
Today's deaths added to an already rapidly increasing national road toll, which jumped 25 per cent higher than at the same time last year following six deaths on the roads yesterday.
Before today's crashes, 43 people had died this year on New Zealand's roads -- 11 more than at this time last year.
The rise in the number of lives lost on the roads comes after three fatal crashes yesterday, including a triple fatality involving a logging truck.
Two women and a man who were killed in that collision were today confirmed as American citizens.
They died following a smash on State Highway 1 north of Tokoroa shortly before 4pm. They were all American citizens, police said this afternoon.
A man who was the fourth occupant of the car, and also an American citizen, remained in a critical condition in hospital, police said.
Police are currently liaising with family through the American consulate.
Meanwhile, two young women who were killed in a two-car crash near Thames yesterday were identified as life-long friends who were on a summer road-trip.
Natasha Strydom of Waiuku, South Auckland, and Jani Von Wielligh of Adelaide, both 20, died in a crash on State Highway 25 near the intersection of Pipiroa Road about 7.45am yesterday.
Miss Strydom's mother Charmaine Strydom posted a picture of her family to Facebook and said: "Thank you God for the best twenty years of my life!"
Inspector Dana McDonald said speed and alcohol were not factors in the crash and both women had been wearing seatbelts.
"All we can say at this stage are initial indications are the west-bound Volkswagen car appears to have crossed the centre-line and collided with the Mazda in the east-bound lane."
The woman driving the Volkswagen suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to Waikato Hospital, where she was reported as being in a serious but stable condition overnight.
Yesterday evening another person died after a 4-wheel-drive vehicle left the SH1 Northern Motorway in Auckland, between Greville Rd and Oteha Valley Rd, and crashed into a lamp post. The driver died at the scene.
By Patrice Dougan of NZME. News Service
