Police have confirmed that an American driver was on the wrong side of the road when he hit a car, killing two people in Northland last night.

The 21-year-old US citizen has been charged with two counts of careless driving causing death.

He was at the wheel of a people-mover that hit a Subaru head-on, on State Highway 10 south of Kerikeri just after 11pm, killing two men in their twenties.

Northland's traffic chief, Inspector Wayne Ewers said the police officer first on the scene said it was clear the people-mover had crossed the centre line.

The officer tried to revive the driver with CPR but it was too late - and his passenger also died at the scene, he said.

Both men were Northlanders, one from Kamo and one from Kerikeri.

The American tourist has been bailed on two counts of careless driving causing death and will appear in the Kaikohe District Court on Friday.