2 Apr 2013

Three die on roads over Easter

7:58 am on 2 April 2013

The Easter road toll stands at three, following a two-vehicle collision near Thames on Saturday night that killed a woman and injured two other people.

It's believed the woman is the wife of Super Rugby player Chris Eaton, Hannah Eaton.

AAP reports Hannah Eaton, 25, died after the BMW she was driving collided with an SUV near Thames on Saturday night.

Eaton, who plays for the Western Force in Perth, withdrew from a match against the Waratahs in Sydney on Sunday and flew home.

Earlier on Saturday a man was killed when the car he was riding in collided with another near Wairakei in the central North Island, while the first to die during Easter was a 55-year-old cyclist after he collided with a truck near Temuka in South Canterbury.

National road policing manager, Superintendent Carey Griffiths, says two of the three fatal crashes involved cars moving out of their lanes.

Mr Griffiths told Radio New Zealand's Morning Report programme that although there is some satisfaction the toll was relatively low, it's still three too many for the families who have lost loved ones.

The Easter road toll was zero last year. The official holiday road toll period began at 4pm on Thursday and ended at 6am on Tuesday.