A woman in her 70s has died and eight other elderly people have been taken to hospital for checks after a van crashed off State Highway 14, 3km north of Dargaville.

Police say the van failed to take a right-hand bend and crashed into a ditch at about 4.20pm on Tuesday.

"Police at the scene confirm that a woman passenger in her 70s has been killed and eight others have been transported to Dargaville hospital for precautionary checks - all are elderly," police said in a statement.

Ten people were in the van, including the driver who was not injured.

The road was closed as emergency services worked at the scene but about two hours after it happened one lane was being reopened.