Speed cameras to be activated sooner at fatal Northland crash site

The site of Friday’s double-fatality is a notorious speeding black spot but new speed cameras were not yet operating.

Two people died and one person was critically injured in the three-vehicle crash on Kaitaia-Awaroa Rd in Pukepoto on Friday morning.

The road, the key connector between Kaitāia and Ahipara, was particularly busy due to the Matariki public holiday.

Police’s Serious Crash Unit was continuing to investigate the cause of the crash, Northland road policing manager Acting Inspector Ryan Gray said on Monday.

He was appealing for witnesses to come forward.

The crash occurred near Te Uri o Hina Marae and Te Rarawa Marae, where the speed limit had been 60km/h since 2023. The remainder of the road was 80km/h.

Te Uri o Hina Marae chairman James Watkinson said while the exact cause of Friday’s crash was still to be investigated, speed was a big concern for the community.

“With the new speed limit in, we’ve noticed some improvement but there are still those who choose to not drive within the law.”

Pukepoto residents were too scared to let their children walk to school because of speeding drivers and, with the community growing, the crash danger was likely to get worse if nothing was done, Watkinson said.

NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) identified 11km of Kaitaia-Awaroa Rd as one of Northland’s most high-risk roads, with six people dying and 21 being seriously injured in crashes between 2015 and 2025.

About 75% of vehicles on Kaitaia-Awaroa Rd speed but new safety cameras are yet to be turned on. Photo / NZME

A survey in May 2024 found 75% of the 5000 vehicles a day using the road were speeding, with the average speed being 89km/h, including in the 60km/h zone.

In order to encourage better driver behaviour, it decided to introduce average speed cameras, which calculate the average speed of drivers over a distance.

The cameras were installed in August but were not operational.

NZTA was sad to hear of the double fatality and brought forward the enforcement date for the safety cameras, head of driving regulation Chris Rodley said.

The four cameras would be enforced from late August to early September, he said.

Te Uri o Hina Marae can get very busy – such as in 2019 when thousands attended the tangi of Sir Hekenukumai Puhipi – but drivers continue to speed past. Photo / NZME

Rodley said there were a number of steps between construction and starting enforcement for the average speed safety cameras, including field testing and surveying.

The set-up on Kaitaia-Awaroa Rd was particularly complicated because of the number of cameras and the different speed zones covered.

Rodley said while he couldn’t comment on the circumstances of the most recent crash, too many crashes were happening on the road.

“If more people drive to the speed limit, the risk drops a lot. By installing safety cameras, we help encourage drivers to slow down.”

The average speed cameras were shown to reduce fatal and serious crashes by up to 48%, he said.

Kaitaia-Awaroa Rd is the key connection between Kaitāia and the world-renown surf breaks at Ahipara. Photo / NZME

Watkinson said turning the speed cameras on was a matter of priority.

As well as the safety cameras, the Pukepoto community wanted speed bumps to discourage speeding and the latest fatality would be an incentive to push for them, he said.

‘We want people to drive safely’, councillor says

The double fatality was a tragic event for the community, said Felicity Foy, a Far North District councillor for Te Hiku.

The idea of the speed cameras was not about revenue gathering or giving out tickets but encouraging drivers to slow down, she said.

“We don’t want to ticket people – what we want is for people to drive safely on our roads.

Far North District councillor Felicity Foy says the double fatality was a tragedy and people needed to drive safely. Photo / Nicole Jecentho

“Unfortunately, this road has some of the highest deaths and injuries of the whole country for a local road.”

Foy called for compassion for those who have lost their family at a time especially for celebrating and remembering loved ones.

“It’s heartbreaking to see this happen to one of our families in the Te Hiku area.”

Police would like to speak with anyone who witnessed the crash, saw any of the vehicles involved prior to the collision or who may have relevant dashcam footage, Gray said.

“Information that may seem insignificant could assist investigators in building an accurate picture of what occurred,” he said.

Anyone with information is asked to call 105, quoting reference number 260710/7125.

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.