Police are pleading with motorists to behave safely on our roads after a devastating start to Labour Weekend

Four people have died since the official road toll began on Friday at 4pm, compared to one for the entire period last year.

A motorcyclist died in Upper Hutt on Friday evening and yesterday two people died in cars in Gisborne and Tekapo and one person was hit by a car in Whanganui.

National road policing manager, Acting Superintendent Gini Welch, says frontline staff have also responded to a number of other serious crashes which have resulted in significant injuries.

And there's been another crash - State Highway Two at Putorino in Hawke's Bay is closed as emergency services respond to it.