Diabetic coma blamed for crash

A man may have driven unconscious for up to five minutes, travelling through Waikouaiti, northeast of Dunedin, before crossing the centre line and hitting a van on State Highway 1 yesterday.

Senior Constable Andy Cleghorn, of Waikouaiti, said multiple 111 calls were lodged just before 9am reporting a van being driven erratically down the town's main street, crossing lanes and driving on the footpath.

Another motorist "guessed what was happening" and drove in front of the weaving van with his hazard lights on to warn other drivers, Mr Cleghorn said.

However, five minutes later, about 5km south of Waikouaiti, the van crossed the centre line and collided head-on with a northbound van. Both vehicles were extensively damaged.

Mr Cleghorn said it appeared the 45-year-old driver of the van had slipped into a diabetic coma and had been unconscious for "at least five minutes" before the smash.

He regained consciousness at the scene after being tended to by a local doctor.

He was taken to Dunedin Hospital by ambulance as a precaution, and was discharged later.

The 54-year-old driver of the other vehicle was not injured.

Mr Cleghorn praised the actions of the driver of the guiding car, and said his warnings averted a more serious accident.

"He had managed to slow down the driver of the oncoming van a lot, which did lessen the impact of the accident."

Police inquiries were continuing.

- NZPA