Third serious crash in 10 days

Debris was strewn across the 100m between the two smashed-up cars at a serious crash near Kauri yesterday. Photo / John Stone

The drivers of two cars destroyed in a crash came away with moderate injuries in the third serious crash in 10 days on a 14km stretch of State Highway1 north of Whangarei.

Police were yesterday investigating the cause of a crash at Kauri, just north of the entrance to Whangarei's Fonterra Dairy Factory. Debris including wheels and pieces of axle were strewn across the 100m between the two wrecked cars.

About 1pm a northbound car driven by a 78-year-old man and a southbound car driven by a 27-year-old woman collided. One of the vehicles then veered into another vehicle, though both occupants of the third vehicle were unharmed. Both drivers of the other cars were taken to Whangarei Hospital with moderate injuries.

Truck driver Raymond Stevenson was on the scene shortly after the collision and described it as "horrific", saying at the time he would be "surprised if no-one died".

"There were bits and pieces all over the road and it was just a mess," he said. "This was so horrific and I've seen a few crashes while I've been out on the road. I hate seeing things like this especially so close to Christmas."

With emergency services vehicles arriving on the scene he then took a detour to get into Whangarei. Another onlooker said speed limits along the stretch of road were confusing for drivers, as were the lane markings.

But Northland Road Policing Manager Inspector Wayne Ewers said he was unsure where such confusion would stem from.

"It's well signposted. If people are paying attention they'll see the signs. Drivers should be driving to the conditions and if there is heavy traffic we encourage people to slow down."

Mr Ewers was not commenting directly on yesterday's crash, the cause of which was still being determined.

The 14-km stretch of road between Whakapara and Kauri had seen three major crashes in 10 days. On November 27, a three car crash outside Croft Poles on State Highway 1 had police imploring drivers to pay attention. The crash, involving six people saw three people hospitalised. Three days before, a crash near Whakapara killed a woman in her 60s, when two cars collided on SH1. The road toll for Northland stands at 19, equalling last year's total total.