Road accidents claim 19 lives over holidays in New Zealand

Nineteen people died on New Zealand roads during the Christmas-New Year period, which almost doubles that of five years ago, official figures said on Wednesday.

Road safety in New Zealand is going backward, said the New Zealand Automobile Association (AA).

"Fatal crashes can happen to good drivers as well," said AA road safety spokesperson Dylan Thomsen, who warned drivers not to get complacent.

Road-related deaths reached 343 in 2023, down from 372 the year before, according to government statistics.

A large number of accidents are due to drivers' behavior on the roads, such as not wearing their seatbelts, local transport officials said._Agencies.