Driver unhurt in truck mishap

WEDGED: The sight that greeted police and emergency services after a car and heavy truck tangled at the exit from Napier Port yesterday.

A driver was shaken but unhurt after his car became wedged under a turning articulated truck at the exit from the Napier Port yesterday.

"When we got there a couple of minutes after getting the call he was out and sitting by the road," Hawke's Bay roading police group Senior Constable Ken Hunt said.

"The ambulance officers had a quick look at him but he was fine."

The crash happened about 10.50am when the Halls truck unit was leaving the port's Marine Parade exit and about to turn left toward Hastings.

The driver of the car was also lining up to turn left.

Mr Hunt described what happened as "just bad timing" and "a bit of assuming" by the car driver.

He said the driver of the truck was indicating to go left but because of the size of the rig had edged to the right of the exit lane to give himself more room.

"The car drove inside the truck and ending up getting wedged under it."

The truck driver was shaken by what happened and was relieved to discover the car driver was unhurt.

As emergency services worked to clear the scene, with traffic being reduced to one lane and manual stop-go signals operating, the car driver's niece, who gave her name as Kim, had come across it. "I was driving home to get changed for work and saw the car and recognised the number plate - it was my uncle."

Panicking, she had approached police and was told the driver was fine and had gone with workmates back into the port area.

"It really gave me a fright to see it - I didn't know what to think."

She said her uncle had insurance and police believed the car was repairable.

Two vehicle recovery trucks were used to drag it free and after a quick check the truck was eventually able to get on its way about 30 minutes later.

Mr Hunt said the driver of the car was given a warning but no charges would be laid.