Two people have died on State Highway 1 this afternoon following two separate crashes, one in each of the country's main islands.
One person died in a crash near Ward in the Marlborough region of the South Island around 4pm.
The single-car crash forced the closure of one lane of the road and traffic management was in place.
A second person died on SH1, this time near Wellsford, north of Auckland, shortly after 5pm.
The road has been closed near Oruawharo Rd in Topuni and detours are being set up.
The NZ Transport Agency asks motorists to avoid travelling in the area and to expect delays.
A police spokesperson said they were called to the incident at 5.05pm and initial reports two others were seriously injured in the crash.
