''Treacherous conditions'' are causing havoc for motorists on southern roads today.
Several crashes were reported after temperatures in many parts of the South were below zero earlier today - Alexandra and Wanaka the coldest, both around -4degC at 7.30am.
Police said this morning many roads were treacherous for vehicles, and NZTA warnings are in place on several southern highways.
''It's not even wise to go out walking or cycling as the footpaths will be affected too. It's been raining again overnight, so it's more than dangerous than usual if you are trying to drive in these conditions,'' police said in a statement.
"If you don't have to go out anywhere today please stay in until it's safe to head out and check weather forecasts before making tracks."
Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman Andrew Norris said firefighters were called to a car crash in Western Southland about 9am.
The crash was on State Highway 94, about 9km west of Mossburn.
In another incident, a car rolled and hit a bridge on State Highway 99, between Riverton and Wallacetown, about 9.15am.
The car hit, and damaged, both sides of a bridge which crosses the Oreti River, he said.
Both crashes were a "result of extensive ice".
A St John spokesman said an ambulance attended both incidents. At both incidents, a person sustained minor injuries, he said.
Meanwhile, a car slid on ice and left the highway between Dipton and Lumsden just before 7.30am, a police spokeswoman said.
In Invercargill a car hit ice on Tay St and "shunted another car in front of it", while just after 9am a car skidded on ice on a bend on the highway between Lumsden and Mossburn and ended up in a "shallow ditch", she said.
No-one was injured in the accidents, she said.
In another incident, a van rolled after hitting ice on State Highway 8, near the Beaumont Hotel and Holiday Park, about 10.30am.
A police spokeswoman said a person sustained serious "crush injuries" to the hand, shoulder and leg.
A rescue helicopter was deployed, she said.
The van blocked both lanes for a time.
Ice was already causing issues last night.
"The weekend has only just begun and police have already attended two crashes in Southland and Clutha ... where drivers have slid on ice," Senior Sergeant Jared Kirk said.
"Luckily no-one was injured but a power pole was damaged from one crash and a truck overturned in the other.
"We’ve also received a number of reports of near-misses due to the black ice on roads across Southland and Central Otago."
Contractors laid grit on State Highway 90 between Tapanui and Raes Junction.
"We’re still concerned that drivers are not slowing down enough," Snr Sgt Kirk said.
"Tonight and over the week end, we are expecting very low temperatures. Particularly where the roads get no sun, motorists can expect black ice on
our roads day and night."
MetService meteorologist Tom Bell said black ice could remain an issue in shaded areas throughout the day, potentially creating "some really slippery
environments".
