The ‘low' Christmas crash rate on Western Bay of Plenty roads so far is being welcomed by police who attended a total of six crashes on the roads since Monday.

From 4pm on Christmas Eve until 7am this morning there was a total of six crashes with only one on a state highway.

Western BOP road policing manager Senior Sergeant Ian Campion is challenging all drivers to make it a crash free holiday on state highways.

Western BOP road policing manager Senior Sergeant Ian Campion says one crash on a state highway and no major injuries on the roads is 'pretty good”. He is challenging all drivers to continue the almost crash free rates on state highways through to the New Year.

'Staff were busy at the weekend with a high number of speeding infringements being issued on state highways.

'But it was pretty good during the Christmas period with one crash on a state highway.”

The state highway crash occurred at the intersection of Tuapiro Road near Katikati on Christmas Day.

A vehicle turning right on SH2 was rear-ended by another vehicle behind, which in turn caused the campervan travelling behind the second vehicle to brake suddenly before hitting a powerpole.

No one was injured in the accident but power was cut to 500 customers in the Western Bay of Plenty region for hours.

'It could have been a lot worse. It highlights the need for drivers to always be paying attention to the road in front.”

Read more about the crash here.

Two other crashes on Christmas Day and the early hours of Boxing Day were single vehicle accidents, which Ian says involved alcohol.

Police were called to Kaitemako Falls Road at 5.51pm on Christmas Day where police say a car had lost control and overturned hitting a bank. No one was injured.

The other was at about 3am on Boxing Day when an Auckland man failed to turn right on Willow Street and ploughed into the State Insurance Arcade at Red Square.

He was charged with drink driving and dangerous driving and is due to appear in court next year.

The other three accidents were minor crashes including a car that hit a powerpole on Moffat Road yesterday afternoon.

The silver sedan with a family on board was travelling along Moffat Road towards the Bethlehem roundabout when the car crashed into the powerpole near Orange Lane.

St John Ambulance spokesperson says an eight-year-old girl was taken to Tauranga Hospital with minor injuries as a 'precaution”.

Ian says the cause of the crash that brought the powerpole down over the bonnet of the car is under investigation.

'It took some time to get the power isolated – police were in attendance while this was done.”

Although most people have finished their Christmas travel, Ian is warning the roads will be busy in the lead up to the weekend prior to New Year's Eve.

He is urging all drivers to stick to the speed limits and restrictions, check their vehicles are safe to travel in and pay attention to the roads.

'There is nothing wrong with having a few drinks to celebrate Christmas but before you have that first drink make sure you have a sober driver, or a way of getting home.

On Christmas Day last year sisters Merepeka Morehu Clark and Brooklyn Morehu Clark were killed when the car they were in collided with another vehicle on Welcome Bay Road.

The girls aged 13 and 14 were on their way to visit their grandmother's grave when police say a speeding car passed another car and collided head-on with another vehicle. Four other people including a two-year-old girl were taken to hospital.

'I challenge all drivers to make a difference these holidays and stop people from drinking and driving.”