Mangonui Constable Tim Murdock was called to two of the crashes including the most serious at Peria.
He said it was dark as the forestry worker drove to work and it would have been very difficult to see the black coloured three-year-old steer. Two men from separate nearby houses came to investigate and as they assessed the man, who was semi-coherent, the car ignited.
He was dragged from the flaming wreck and put into the backseat of another car until ambulance staff arrived to treat him.
"He is very lucky he was pulled out and lucky he wasn't trapped because the roof of the car was caved in," Mr Murdock said.
"If it hadn't been for those two guys this could have easily been a tragedy." It appeared the steer had jumped out of the paddock. The animal died on impact.
Mr Murdock was also called to a crash on Friday when a 56-year-old woman struck a brown coloured horse wandering on State Highway 10 between Conaglen and Taupo Bay Rd, about 6.15pm. She suffered minor injuries but the windscreen of the car was smashed by the horse that escaped from cattle yards and was put down by a neighbouring farmer.
In the third crash two cars hit a cattle beast on State Highway 1 at Maungamuka about 6.30pm on Saturday. No one was injured but the beast died.
Northland police head of traffic inspector Murray Hodson said the impact of hitting a cow or horse was like hitting a brick wall. He said drivers needed to be more aware with the long dark days of winter and reduced visibility.
Farmers had a responsibility to ensure their boundary fences on roads were secure.
"In an animal's pursuit to look for feed in winter they can knock over vulnerable fences or push through gaps in a fence line."
He said drivers should report wandering stock immediately on *555.
