Accidents prompt police warning

Three accidents involving tractors have prompted Waikato police to issue a warning to motorists to be extra careful around agricultural vehicles.

They’re also urging people driving agricultural vehicles to not put themselves or other road users at risk.

The police call comes after the three accidents, involving a fatality and a range of injuries.

At 10.30am on Saturday morning two people were seriously injured after a car and tractor collided on Oparure Rd near Te Kūiti.

Just ten minutes later, a motorcyclist was critically injured after colliding with a tractor on Piakonui Rd in Matamata-Piako district. The motorcyclist subsequently died in hospital.

Then, at 9.45pm, a tractor collided with a car at the intersection of Pond Rd and State Highway 29 in Matamata-Piako district.

Initial inquiries indicate the tractor had gone through a stop sign and crashed into an oncoming car. Four people in the car were injured, one seriously.

In a statement on Monday, police said they’d observed an increase in the number of agricultural vehicles on Waikato roads recently, as farmers take advantage of the dry weather to cut maize and make silage in preparation for winter.

They expected a large amount of traffic to be on the roads as people head home after a long weekend away.

“We know that it can be frustrating to be stuck behind slow-moving agricultural vehicles, but we’re asking motorists to be patient and only pass when it is safe to do so,” the statement said.

“Similarly, we’re asking those on agricultural vehicles to be mindful of traffic around them, and to pull over and let traffic pass when it is safe to do so.”

They urged people to focus on safety basics such as watching their speed, putting phones away, not driving while impaired and ensuring everyone is properly restrained.