The deaths today of a woman in a car crash near Winton and a logging truck driver north of Christchurch have contributed to a horror 24 hours on South Island roads.
The fatal accidents today follow a two-car crash in Cromwell yesterday that resulted in two deaths - of the male driver at the scene and a female passenger later in hospital.
A 57-year-old Winton woman was killed when the Holden Rodeo utility in which she was a passenger crashed into a power pole at the intersection of Wilsons Crossing Rd and Tussock Creek-Grove Bush Rd at 10.45am today.
Snr Sgt Cynthia Fairley, of Winton, said the vehicle was travelling east on Wilson's Crossing Rd and approached the intersection. It failed to slow sufficiently and crossed the centre line to the opposite side of the road where the front passenger side hit the power pole.
The woman, who was wearing a seatbelt, died at the scene.
The 58-year-old male driver was treated at the scene and taken to Southland Hospital. His condition is unknown.
Further up the island, a man died this morning when his logging truck rolled down a bank on Demmocks Rd, Ashley Forest, about 60km north of Christchurch.
Police are investigating.
The Cromwell collision yesterday, between a sedan carrying five people and a courier van with one occupant, happened at the intersection of State Highway's 8B and 6, near Nichol's Garden Centre.
Constable Dean Schroder said it appeared the driver of the sedan failed to give way as he was turning right on to SH6, in the direction of Wanaka.
The vehicles collided and the male driver of the sedan, believed to be a 29-year-old Taiwanese man who was working in the area, died at the scene.
His male front seat passenger was taken by ambulance to Dunstan Hospital with serious injuries and later airlifted to Dunedin Hospital.
Three females in the back seat had to be cut from the car, and were flown by two rescue helicopters to Dunedin Hospital with serious injuries.
One of the back seat passengers died in Dunedin Hospital overnight, and the other two remain in a critical condition.
The female driver of the courier van received minor injuries and was treated at the scene.
