Police are looking for more witnesses to a serious crash on a busy Rotorua street as investigations continue.

The driver had to be cut from his car after he smashed into a lamp post on Lake Rd about 5.30pm yesterday.

Officer in charge of road policing Senior Sergeant Nicky Riordan said it was still too early to say what factors were behind the crash and they were still interviewing witnesses.

The driver, who was initially taken to Rotorua Hospital in a critical condition, has now improved and is in a stable condition.

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Two other people in the car had minor injuries.

Ms Riordan said the road would have been busy at the time. She asked anyone who saw the silver Ford before the crash or witnessed the crash to call police.

"It was absolutely a busy time of day on Lake Rd."

She said any crash had the potential to have tragic consequences.

The Rotorua Fire Brigade needed to cut the roof off the car using hydraulic equipment, giving the ambulance crew more room to work.

Lake Rd was closed in both directions, with diversions in place, for about two hours.