Police are worried the road toll could skyrocket after another spate of fatal crashes overnight.
Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
Five people died in at least four road crashes overnight.
The road toll now stands at 323 for the year, 50 more than for the same period last year.
Last year's total for the calendar year was 324.
National road safety manager Superintendent Steve Greally said he expected this year's total to rise.
"When you talk about where we are in the year and how much is left to go, that's a really tragic thing for New Zealand.
"And of course we have to think about the families of those people and that's who's really suffering the loss ... when they don't have their loved ones.
"They're not going to be here for Christmas unfortunately."
Mr Greally said he was concerned, and the toll looked set to climb much higher as the holiday season approached.
"We can stop this carnage on our roads if we all decide - before we get into our car and drive again - that we're actually going to make some responsible decisions to just concentrate on what we're doing.
"To get from A to B and back home in one piece."
