Crashed car lands near SH2 playground

One of the vehicles involved in the accident went through a fence into the property of Accommodation Te Puna, only just stopping before the motel's playground area. Photo / John Borren

A car crashed through a fence and just stopped short of a playground after a four-vehicle crash on State Highway 2.

Nobody was injured in the accident yesterday afternoon at the intersection with Minden Rd.

A driver of one of the vehicles, Chris Trotman, said she was waiting at the intersection in her ute when the accident happened.

"I was sitting there, just waiting for it to happen, so I could see it all," said Mrs Trotman, who was travelling home to Omokoroa.

While waiting at the intersection, Mrs Trotman thought to herself that a roundabout planned for it would be effective.

"I was actually sitting there thinking, 'Gosh, they do really do need that, because I can't get out with this traffic'."

Then the accident happened.

Another driver collided with Mrs Trotman's car and two others.

A man nearby ran to the scene to help after hearing the collision.

"I was just loading some stuff on my roof, next minute I heard this almighty kaboom," he said.

One of the vehicles involved went through a fence into the property of Accommodation Te Puna, only just stopping before the motel's playground.

There were no children in the area at the time but a couple had checked into the front unit just metres from crash.

Accommodation Te Puna owner Pauline Page said she did not agree that a roundabout at the intersection was a good idea.

"It definitely won't be good to have a roundabout there. It will back up heavy traffic even more and traffic won't be controlled coming through.

"There's big trucks coming down, they're going to come around the roundabout and it'll be crashing into our place again."

Mrs Page suggested traffic lights would be more effective.

"It's not as if we're in a (50km/h) area. Lights would be better, it would be more controlled and it would keep things flowing."