Car shunted into path of bike: 2 hurt

A man and a toddler were critically injured after a car was forced into the path of a motorbike yesterday near Huntly.

The 3-year-old was due to be transferred from Waikato Hospital's intensive care unit to the Starship hospital in Auckland last night and the 52-year-old male motorcyclist was in a serious condition, and to undergo surgery.

Initial analysis by the Waikato police serious crash unit indicated the southbound car had tried to turn across State Highway 1 about 3pm and was shunted in the rear, forcing it into the path of the motorcycle.

Emergency services closed the highway to analyse and clear the scene and did not reopen it until just before 6pm.

Also yesterday, a motorcyclist was killed on State Highway 6 near Greymouth after crashing into a bridge.

The rider was travelling with a group, Sergeant Brett Cooper said.

"Early indications are that speed may be a contributing factor to the crash."

The death took the holiday weekend road toll to four.

On Saturday, two women were killed in a head-on crash near Taupo when a Suzuki Swift crossed the centre line on State Highway 1 at Five Mile Bay shortly before 3pm, colliding with a Toyota Rav4.

The Suzuki's 79-year-old driver died at the scene and a 53-year-old woman passenger in the Toyota was taken to Taupo Hospital but died a short time later. The driver suffered only minor injuries.

Two hours later, one person was killed and two others were injured when a four-wheel-drive vehicle rolled into a river off the Maungatapu Track in Nelson's Maitai Valley.

Yesterday, three people were injured - one critically - when their car spun out into the path of a truck in a high-speed crash near Paeroa.

Auckland's Westpac rescue helicopter, the Westpac Waikato air ambulance and a road ambulance were called to the scene to take two of the car's occupants to Waikato Hospital.

The truck-driver was uninjured.

Speaking to the Herald from the scene, Station Officer Murray Rasmussen of Ngatea Volunteer Fire Brigade said the car, a Hyundai, was travelling north on State Highway 2 at Kerepehi when it spun out on a slight right-hand bend about 9.30am.

"The car spun out into the path of the oncoming truck and the truck went up the back end of the car with huge impact," Mr Rasmussen said.

"It's pretty well mangled ... If you could see this wreck ... you'd wonder how anyone could walk away from it or even survive it. There's an imprint on the back of the truck's number plate you can clearly see. You can just see the two back wheels poking out and there's nothing around it."

Mr Rasmussen said the younger woman from the back seat had been the worst injured because she had been badly trapped.

"We took a bit of time to get her out because of the way she was twisted in the back. Her feet were twisted under the seat ... We just had to cut it to pieces to get her out."

A man in his 30s was taken to Waikato Hospital with head injuries.

Traffic built up in parts as holiday-makers travelled around the North Island.

The NZ Transport Agency said northbound traffic on State Highway 1 between Puhoi and Warkworth was heavy early yesterday afternoon.

A slow-moving queue extended several kilometres south from the town during the midday peak as people took advantage of the fine weather to head for the northern beaches at Warkworth.

The NZTA reminded motorists about the State Highway 16 alternative route between Auckland and Wellsford, which cuts travel time by bypassing holiday bottlenecks on State Highway 1.