Three people died when a driver fleeing police crossed the centre line on State Highway 6 at Hope, near Nelson.

An innocent member of the public was one of three people killed when a fleeing driver crossed the centre line and crashed head-on into an oncoming vehicle near Nelson.

The two people in the fleeing vehicle and the sole occupant of the other car all died in the collision on State Highway 6 at Hope, south of Nelson, at 5.40am on Sunday.

Tasman district commander Superintendent Mike Johnson said the chase happened after police tried to stop a vehicle while looking for a wanted person on Gladstone Rd in Richmond early on Sunday morning.

LUZ ZUNIGA/STUFF Yanko died on her way to Nelson's Sunday market, where she had a regular stall.

The vehicle kept going, overtook a truck, moved onto the wrong side of the road, and collided with a vehicle travelling north, he said.

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"Tragically three people have died as a result, two of the deceased were from the fleeing vehicle and the third person was an innocent member of the public," Johnson said.

LUZ ZUNIGA Police have named the 51-year-old woman alongside the two occupants of the car who were fleeing from police.

"An outcome like this is the last thing police want to see. We now have three families who have lost members and our thoughts are with them during this difficult time."

Police pursued the car for about 6 kilometres and were still chasing the fleeing driver when the crash happened.

Police were not yet able to confirm if the fleeing car contained the people they were looking for when they attempted to stop them.

LUZ ZUNIGA Fire and police were working to remove the bodies from the vehicles following the fatal smash that killed all three occupants of the two vehicles.

Johnson was also unable to confirm further details about the inquiry, but said police had been seeking the "particular person we were looking for, for a period of time".

The pursuit would be investigated internally and the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) had been formally notified.

Johnson said it was too early to say whether police made the right call in pursuing the vehicle and he would not comment on whether pursuits should be carried out at all.

He said police had "very stringent procedures" that governed when they did, and did not, pursue vehicles.

"These are high-risk, high-impact events, I would ask that people when signalled by police to stop, pull over and let us conduct whatever business is required at that point," he said.

The families affected were being supported by police. All three victims were from the Nelson-Tasman area.

NZ Transport Agency spokeswoman Frances Adank said engineers would file a report on the road conditions once the police had completed their own report on the area.

The fatal smash happened on a dip at the end of a long straight just before Brightwater, but nearby residents did not hear the crash itself.

One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said she was alerted to the collision by the sound of sirens.

There had been a "reasonable number" of crashes on the stretch of road and she hoped the speed limit might be lowered to 80kmh.

Another neighbour, who also wished to remain anonymous, said speed was not necessarily to blame and he was comfortable with the area's 100kmh limit.

Nelson Fire and Emergency senior station officer Steve Shackleton said firefighters had to help remove the bodies from the vehicles.

"One of the consequences of these accidents is how many people it actually effects, and that includes my crew. The police have got to deal with it, St John has got to deal with it, and then you've got probably three families who have lost [loved ones]."

IPCA chairman Judge Colin Doherty sent his sympathy "to all those affected".

"The authority will likely carry out a specific investigation as well as including the incident in the wider work being conducted jointly with police on policy practice and procedure in this area."

The IPCA and police began reviewing the policy involving pursuits last July after police revealed they engaged in about 300 fleeing driver events a month.

The review, due to be completed this year, was expected to help police understand the environments in which pursuits take place, and to identify best practice for managing the events.

In a statement, Police Minister Stuart Nash said Sunday's crash was a "tragedy" for the families of those killed and for the officers involved.

"Police have to make instant decisions based on the circumstances in front of them at the time, and the road and traffic conditions as well. Fleeing drivers are always a highly challenging law and order event for police."

National police spokesman Chris Bishop said such incidents were "tough situations for the police and are operational matters for them".

"My thoughts are with the families – of the people who passed away and of the officers involved as well."

The crash was one of four fatal incidents on New Zealand roads this weekend.

A man died in a single-vehicle crash in Hikurangi, Northland, about 11.40pm on Friday, and two people were killed when a truck and a van collided near Whakapapa, in the central North Island, about 6.40am on Saturday.

Another two people died when a ute and a people carrier crashed head-on near Kaeo, in the Far North, about 2.20pm on Saturday.

Nash said New Zealand's road toll, which has now reached 77 for 2018, was "too high".

"Police are working hard to improve safety and prevent death and injury for all road users."