Duncan’s death was the first in the country on the roads over the Christmas holiday period.
There has since been a second death in Hawke’s Bay, taking the region’s toll across Hawke’s Bay and Tararua to 23 in 2025.
On Tuesday evening, police confirmed a driver had died after their car went over a bank on State Highway 2 north of Napier.
State Highway 2 was closed for several hours after the serious crash north of Tangoio Settlement Rd about 11.45am.
Crews had been working to extract one person from the vehicle.
Police said the sole occupant died at the scene.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi closed SH2 north of Whirinaki, with the crash scene being about 11km to the north, near White Pine Bush Scenic Reserve.
