A passer-by who pulled the driver out the window of his badly damaged car at Pamapuria, south of Kaitaia, yesterday morning may have saved his life, according to Fire Service spokesman Colin Kitchen.
"Normally we say people should leave anyone who might be injured where they are until emergency servicesarrive, but in this situation they did the right thing," Mr Kitchen said.
The man, believed to be around 60 and the sole occupant of his car, was flown to Whangarei Hospital aboard the rescue helicopter with what were believed to be serious leg injuries.
The car, which ended up in the ditch just a few metres from the point of impact, began to smoulder.
The same passerby who pulled the driver to safety was understood to have doused the flames with a fire extinguisher.
The Serious Crash Unit from Whangarei was examining the crash scene yesterday. The vehicles apparently colliding on or near the centre line, both suffering extensive damage about the front right corner.
The truck driver, who was shaken but not hurt, said he had seen the car overcorrect immediately before impact.
The truck continued south for some 50m, in the drain, the driver saying he was surprised the rig had remained on its wheels.
Debris from both vehicles was scattered across more than 50m of highway, the truck losing its diesel tank. Mr Kitchen estimated that some 400 litres was spilled, along with oil and transmission fluid. A Fulton Hogan crew laid sand before the highway was reopened more than two hours after the crash.
Traffic was diverted via Ruaroa and Takahue roads.
Kaitaia Fire Brigade station officer Ross Beddows said the fact that the car's engine block was thrown 10m gave a good indication of the force of the impact. Firefighters had investigated after noticing a gouge in the bank, flattened grass and three broken fence wires.
"It neatly bisected two large tree trunks before landing in long grass another three metres away," Mr Beddows said. "You don't need much imagination to understand what would have happened to anyone unlucky enough to have been in its path."
