Lucky escape after car flips before hitting post

It is thought the driver lost control of the car which left the road and crashed into a strainer post. Photo / Supplied via police

Three people have fortunately survived a crash near Otorohanga in which their car left the road, crashed into a post, flipped in the air and then rolled.

Emergency services were called to the scene of the single-vehicle crash, on a 100km/h stretch of Rangiatea Rd near Otorohanga, about 6am today.

District road policing manager Inspector Freda Grace said the crash involved a 37-year-old female driver who lost control of a late model Ford Falcon, which left the road and crashed into a strainer post.

"The car has then flipped into the air and rolled. However the driver and her two passengers, aged 39 and 13 years old, escaped being thrown from the vehicle and [being] potentially seriously injured because they were wearing their seatbelts," Inspector Grace said. "The car came to a rest on the front lawn of a family's home."

Mrs Grace said the escape was extremely fortunate and highlighted why police are urging drivers to watch their speed.

It came just one day into police's "Check Your Speed" summer driving campaign.

As part of the nationwide push, police ran an operation in North Waikato between 1am and 8am yesterday and stopped 22 motorists for excessive speed.

One motorist lost his licence and now faces a charge of dangerous driving after he was stopped while allegedly travelling 136km/h in a 70km/h zone.

It was at 4am in a section of road works at Rangiriri that was subject to a temporary speed restriction.

"The man told the officer he was in a hurry to get home. What's particularly concerning is that while many of us are asleep at this time, it's also a busy period for roading contractors as they seek to get work done during low traffic volumes to minimise disruptions to the public and this driver placed himself and road workers at serious risk," Inspector Grace said.

In another speeding incident, around the same time near Ngaruawahia, a motorist was caught allegedly travelling at 135km/h on a 100km/h stretch of River Rd.

"This driver was most surprised at being stopped, telling the officer he didn't think we had staff out at that time of day. Our message here is check your speed because we can be anywhere at any time," Mrs Grace said.

The speed threshold has been reduced to 4km/h over any posted speed limit until the end of January as part of the summer driving campaign.

Mrs Grace said far more could be achieved if people did not rely on enforcement alone.

"If every motorist thinks of the consequences and checks their speed we will have safer drivers and safer families on our roads."