Two More Deaths On NZ's Roads

At least two more people have died on New Zealand's South Island roads this morning in separate accidents. One of them hit a power pole, echoing the tragic deaths of 3 British tourists from Castle Donington, UK - 3 year old Iva Harper, her grandmother 60-year-old Sera Eades and Mrs Eade's cousin, 68-year-old Valerie Bryan who died when their car hit a power pole in Christchurch. See yesterday's blog post

A 20-year-old man was killed at South Elgin, 6km southeast of Ashburton on Wakanui Road, about 1.40am when he collided with a power pole.
View Larger Map, Wakanui Road

And a 54-year-old man left the road and collided with a bank about 2.40am on State Highway 85 at Stoneburn, 23km northwest of Palmerston in Otago. He died at the scene.

Statistics NZ's information today is that 25 people have been killed so far during September, a massive increase over the same month last year when 10 people died.

The total for the year stands at 296, up from 250 this time last year.

See also NZ's roads described as 'killing fields'