100km/h, it's a limit not a target is the message from Waikato Police after two lives were lost in separate roads in the region over the weekend.
In the first crash investigators are still working to establish just what caused the driver of a dark blue Toyota Hi-lux to lose control of his vehicle and plunge into a river early Friday evening.
Waikato Road Policing Manager, Inspector Leo Tooman, said it was still too early to say what the cause of Colin James PATTERSON'S death was.
"The 51-year-old Tauranga man was driving east on Hutchinson Rd, near Kereone when it appears he lost control on the gravel verge, over corrected and rotated 360 degrees before smashing through a bridge barrier and plunging 10m into the Piako River."
While the cause of Friday's crash is yet to be determined things were clearer in relation to what cost the life of a 25-year-old Hamilton man on SH25A near Kopu on Saturday.
Mr Tooman said Michael Robert LAGORE died after the Triumph motorcycle he was riding failed to take a moderate left hand bend and crossed the centreline.
"The rider has then braked heavily and laid the bike down with both he and the vehicle sliding into the path of an oncoming Toyota 4x4 utility.
"Indications are he failed to negotiate the bend due to speed to Mr Tooman."
These latest, avoidable deaths, take the Waikato road toll to 26 compared 25 for the same period last year.
Mr Tooman said the most tragic thing about these deaths were they needn't have happened.
"If you do your part by driving to the conditions, avoid drinking and watch your speed then you're going a long way to ensuring our roads are safe.
"Then if the bloke coming the other way is doing his bit then the road safety problem could be close to being solved," he said.
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