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At least one person has died on New Zealand roads over the official Easter weekend holiday period.
Police have confirmed a man died in hospital following a crash on Auckland's southern motorway just after 2pm on Good Friday.
The 68-year-old motorcyclist was taken to hospital in a critical condition but died yesterday.
"It's a really, really rare occurrence in New Zealand" - AA Road Safety spokesman Dylan Thomsen
AA Road Safety spokesman Dylan Thomsen said it was difficult to talk about the success of a low road toll as there had still be a death and it was a tragedy.
But April had so far been an "unusual month" with just two deaths reported.
Usually, April saw an average on one death per day on the roads, Thomsen said.
"It's a really, really rare occurrence in New Zealand," he told Morning Report.
Thomsen said it was hard to pinpoint what the change was, as the roads had been "extremely busy" over the Easter break, particularly in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
He said there was an element of "good fortune" but drivers and riders "are obviously doing the right things more often than not".
Thomsen said he would love to say the country was turning a corner with road safety, but it was too early to say it was the start of something permanent and long lasting.
However, the low road toll showed New Zealand could have safer travel, less crashes, less serious injuries, and less deaths.
"The power is literally in our hands," he said.
Listen to the full interview with Road to Zero campaign director Bryan Sherritt here
The head of Waka Kotahi's Road to Zero campaign said this year's toll was proof road deaths can be reduced.
Bryan Sherritt told Morning Report this year's number was "certainly a lot better" than other years - but his thoughts were with the family of the man who had died.
Sherritt said the country was on track to have a better year than last.
So far, 82 people had died on the roads this year, "far less" than in 2022 when there was more than one death per day.
He believed road safety measures that had been implemented were contributing to the lower numbers, including having police out patrolling on the open roads.
Open roads were where the most deaths and serious injuries occurred, Sherritt said, and having police out there was a deterrent for drivers.
He said the latest advertising campaign, featuring a police officer and all the excuses drivers gave when they were pulled over for speeding, was also helping.
Sherritt said Waka Kotahi would continue to work to make the roads safer and achieve its Road to Zero campaign.