A driver was trapped in his car for 90 minutes after his car and a fully laden milk tanker collided yesterday on a notorious stretch of Northland highway.
Volunteer firefighters from Kawakawa, Hikurangi and Towai worked to cut the man free from his badly damaged car, which ended up in a drain beside State Highway One near the intersection with Akerama Rd at Towai, 40km north of Whangarei.
The man, 40, was in a stable condition in Whangarei Hospital yesterday with pelvis and arm injuries.
Senior Constable John van Pomeren said the north-bound car and south-bound truck collided head-on about 5.30am.
The car was shunted about 30m backwards before ending up in the drain. The tanker, towing a trailer, stayed upright.
The road was closed until 8am and traffic diverted through rural roads while emergency services worked to free the driver.
Deputy chief fire officer Annette Wynyard said the car's dashboard had trapped the driver by his legs.
Once firefighters arrived it had taken about 30 minutes to free the man.
"It was great team work to get him out," Miss Wynyard said. "He was in a lot of agony."
NZ Transport spokesman Ewart Barnsley said the Akerama corners were due for straightening work.
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