A person has died in a crash on SH75, just outside Christchurch - the 20th person to die on the roads in less than two weeks.
The police said the crash happened near Tai Tapu about 2.30pm, between Macartneys Rd and Duck Pond Rd.
The Christchurch Transport Operations Centre (CTOC) said this evening that SH75 between Tai Tapu and Motukarara had reopened.
Drivers had been told to take care this afternoon, with a southerly change expected to bring hail across much the city.
Motorists should slow down or pull over if they experienced hail downpours, as thickly-spread hailstones could cause cars to slide, CTOC said.
It said there was reduced visibility on the northern and southern motorways due to sweeping rain.
The official holiday period started at 4pm on 23 December and ended at 6am today, with 19 killed in crashes during that time - the worst road toll in four years.
Canterbury New Year's Eve crash victim named
Police this afternoon named the man who died in a crash in Spotswood, North Canterbury, on New Year's Eve.
He was Tihi Oterangi Rae Edgecombe, 33, of Cheviot.
The police were continuing their investigations into the crash, which happened just after 9pm on Downs Rd.
