Another Kapiro Rd crash fuels calls for lower speed limit

Locals say the driver of this ute was lucky to survive the latest crash on Kapiro Rd near Kerikeri. Photo/Supplied

Residents at a crash black spot in the Bay of Islands are again calling for a reduced speed limit after another serious accident.

The latest crash on Kapiro Rd, a 100km/h semi-rural road north of Kerikeri, was about 8pm on Friday when the driver of an east-bound ute lost control, flipped and was trapped in his upside-down vehicle in a ditch.

Sergeant Phil Le Comte, of Kerikeri police, said the driver had to be cut out of the wreckage by volunteers from the Kerikeri Fire Brigade.

The Northland Rescue Helicopter was dispatched but stood down once the driver was freed and found to be less seriously injured than first appeared. He was instead taken in a moderate condition to Bay of Islands Hospital with a police officer accompanying St John medics.

Kapiro Rd resident Nicole Roach - who made headlines in August when she took matters into her own hands and changed the speed limit signs to 80km/h instead of 100 - said going by the skid marks it appeared the driver had lost control at the usual black spot but managed to continue another 100m before his ute flipped.

The vehicle came to rest where children waited for the school bus. If it had happened on a school morning the outcome could have been disastrous. As it was the driver was lucky to escape serious injury or death, she said.

"The driver's side was crushed in ... Someone was looking after him that night."

Long term she wanted to see the road improved and a cycle lane added to protect cyclists and act as a buffer for pedestrians and horse riders. Dropping the speed limit, however, was something that could be done immediately and at little cost.

After Ms Roach's sign-altering protest, which lasted about 48 hours, the Far North District Council agreed to look into ways of improving safety on Kapiro Rd. Local residents, including Ms Roach, and community group Vision Kerikeri were invited to take part in the consultation. Nothing had come of it so far, she said.

Her neighbours, Richard and Janette Tingey, say the stretch of road outside their property has seen at least 14 crashes in the past 20 years, not counting the latest smash. They have given up replacing their fence and installed a row of boulders instead.

Mr Le Comte said it was fortunate a doctor happened to be passing by on Friday evening and was able to help at the scene. Inquiries into the cause of the crash were continuing, he said.