Barred driver hurt in crash

The barreed driver has been critically injured after a crash. Photo / Thinkstock

A man who was forbidden to drive crashed his ute down a bank near Matamata and was critically injured.

The 54-year-old crashed off Buckland Rd near the tiny settlement of Hinuera at 4.45pm on Tuesday, Hamilton police spokesman Andrew McAlley said.

"It appears the man's eastbound ute left the road and went down a bank, crashing into a paddock," Mr McAlley said.

The driver was taken to Waikato Hospital by ambulance, and was last night still in the intensive care unit.

Mr McAlley said the man was wearing a seatbelt, but had been forbidden to drive.

This was was different from being a disqualified driver.

Waikato road policing manager Inspector Leo Tooman said the man was forbidden to drive because he had an old paper driver's licence instead of a photo identification licence.

Photo driver licences replaced paper ones in the late 1990s and drivers caught using an expired licence faced a fine of up to $1000.

"He's forbidden until he obtains a photo licence."

Mr Tooman said alcohol did not appear to be a factor in the crash and the man was a resident in the area and not far from home at the time of the accident.

Driving on an expired licence can affect a driver's ability to get carinsurance, delay an insurance claim or result in a claim being declined.

Meanwhile Mr Tooman said his staff were busy dealing with Christmas week.

"Everybody leaves everything to the last minute, of course. We're just asking for a bit of patience and courtesy this week."

He said drivers expected to get car parks outside the shop they wanted to visit but that was virtually impossible during the lead-up to Christmas.

"That's not going to happen," he said.

"Probably the biggest crime you can commit at this time of year is to pinch someone's car park."