Emergency services attended a crash involving a truck, pictured, and a car on Taieri Plains Highway, Otago, about 9.15am on Christmas Day. Photo / ODTPolice are calling on motorists to slow down and avoid distractions as 17 people have now died on the country's roads over the past 10 days, three on Christmas Day alone. Assistant commissioner Bruce O'Brien labelled the period "absolutely horrendous" which has also seen five people die since the country's official road toll kicked off on Christmas Eve. There was always an increase in crashes over the festive period but O'Brien agreed Covid-19 had made the year even longer for people. Asked about their aim to reduce road deaths by 40 per cent by 2030, O'Brien said these tragic starts to the holiday period didn't help that.

Source: Otago Daily Times December 26, 2021 23:40 UTC