No serious injury, but slap on hand for flipped car driver after accident in Hastings

A Suzuki Swift and Audi TT Coupe will be written off after yesterday's crash. Photo / Duncan Brown

A woman escaped without serious injury after her European sports car flipped in Hastings yesterday.

Emergency services were called to the crash on the corner of Hastings St South and Lyndon St East just after 9am, where an Audi TT Coupe had flipped on to its roof, blocking at least one lane.

Senior Constable Jason Spence said it appeared the accident happened after the driver became distracted, "causing her to veer out of her lane and crash into the rear of an unoccupied parked vehicle".

Colliding with the parked Suzuki Swift was enough to flip the Audi, Mr Spence said.

"It wasn't a high-speed crash - she just hit the parked car, climbed up it, and rolled on [her] roof.

"Both vehicles will be most likely be written off due to extensive damage".

The driver would be issued with an infringement notice, rather than be charged by police, because there were no aggravating circumstances which caused the crash.

Mr Spence said luckily the driver had a seat belt on and airbags were deployed, meaning she avoided serious injury - sustaining only a minor cut to her mouth and minor bruising.

She was taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital by St John Ambulance. Last night a Hawke's Bay District Health Board spokeswoman said the woman remained in a stable condition in the general ward.

The car was identified as a 2003 Audi TT Coupe. When brand new, this model went for over $90,000. It is now listed by used-car dealers for $10,000 or more.