More farmers are out and about on tractors taking advantage of the dry weather, police say. Photo: 123rf.com
Holidaymakers travelling home from their Easter break are being warned to watch out for tractors after three crashes on the same day.
Tractor drivers are also being urged not to put themselves or other road users at risk.
Two people were seriously injured after a car and tractor collided on Oparure Road near Te Kūiti at 10.30am Saturday.
Just 10 minutes later a motorcyclist was critically injured after a crash involving a tractor in the Matamata-Piako district.
They later died in hospital from their injuries.
At 9.45pm the same day, a tractor crashed into a car at the intersection of Pond Road and State Highway 29, leaving four people injured.
"Initial enquiries indicate the tractor had gone through a stop sign and crashed into an oncoming car," police said in a statement.
"Four people in the car were injured, one seriously."
Police said they had noticed a growing number of tractors on Waikato roads as farmers took advantage of the dry weather to cut maize and make sileage in preparation for winter.
A lot of cars were expected on the roads on Monday as people headed home after the long weekend, police said.
"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.
"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."
Police said all drivers needed to focus on the basics, including watching speed, not using the phone while behind the wheel, avoiding driving while impaired (including being fatigued), and making sure everyone had their seatbelts on.
The Easter road toll was at six on Monday morning, the highest since 2021.
The official holiday road toll period ends at 6am on Tuesday.