A horror crash between Whangarei and Dargaville on Sunday has this weekend's road toll approaching the worst Labour Weekend since 2011.
The crash involving two cars left the drivers dead and the twisted remains of another fatal crash on New Zealand roads.
State Highway 14 was left littered with glass and metal following the crash southwest of Whangarei.
The force of the crash was so violent, the number plate of one car ended up among the debris of the other.
"We've been able to establish that two vehicles have collided on a relatively straight stretch of road," Police Acting Inspector Stephanie Hudson says.
Just after 9:40am on Sunday morning, emergency services were called to the stretch between Whangarei and Dargaville.
The drivers of both cars have died, while their passengers - two adults and three children - were left with injuries ranging from moderate to critical.
"At this stage I believe we have three children in the rear of the second vehicle," Inspt Hudson says.
Northland Rescue Helicopters took one of the patients to Whangarei Hospital, while the serious crash unit continues to try to work out exactly what caused the crash.
But one factor has been plain to see in what could've caused the crash.
"Northland has been hammered by torrential rain all weekend, and it continues to be really wet," Inspt Hudson says.
The crash now brings the Labour Weekend road toll to seven, following deaths in Otago, Canterbury, Hawke's Bay, and Auckland.
Last year's total was eight deaths, which was the worst since 2011.
Inspt Hudson had a message for every New Zealand driver on the roads over this long weekend.
"Just a message out there for our drivers, can we please drive to the conditions," she says.
Police are reminding motorists every road death isn't just a number but a person who should have had a future.
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