Listen
The holiday period has closed with a road toll of 17 -- making this Christmas/New Year break one of New Zealand's deadliest in a decade.
The final count this time last year was 11.
The latest figures are only surpassed by the toll of 2016/17 and 2011/12 periods, when there were 19 road deaths during the year-end holiday season.
Road policing assistant commissioner Bruce O'Brien spoke to Sarah Robson.