'Lucky to be alive': Elderly driver escapes Rotorua crash with minor injuries

Puti Ruhi says she's lucky to be alive.

On Wednesday, she thought she'd go into town to do some shopping.

She was driving along Old Taupo Rd at 60km/h when the crash, involving one other car, happened.

The force of the collision flipped her car "high in the air," she said.

It landed on its roof and Puti was left trapped, but conscious.

"I was lucky to be alive to be honest."

Police were called to the crash at the intersection with Pererika St at 11.19am and fire and ambulance services were also at the scene.

Puti Ruhi's car flipped in an accident on Old Taupo Rd and she says it's a miracle she's alive. Photo / Stephen Parker

The crash caused a southbound lane to be blocked. Ruhi was initially trapped but after being freed she was taken to Rotorua Hospital with minor injuries.

Her son Hare Ruhi was scrolling Facebook at the time when he saw a Rotorua Daily Post article on the crash crop up.

"I noticed the colour of the car and thought it looked like mum's car.

"I rang her home and she wasn't here. I rang the hospital and they said 'are you looking for a patient?' I said 'yes I think my mum's in there'."

Puti Ruhi's car flipped on its roof during the crash. Photo / Andrew Warner

The hospital couldn't tell Hare what status his mother was in, other than to say she was "getting worked on" so he headed to the hospital from his home in Tokoroa about 45 minutes away.

"I was thinking the worst. I was thinking we might have lost our mother."

But the only injuries Puti had suffered were a deep cut on her finger, which needed five stitches, and minor scratches on her hands.

"I thought, how can that be after looking at the car. It was a huge relief," Hare said.

"To have her make it to 88 and get through a crash like that is something special."

Puti has to go to the hospital for a check-up next week but said her finger was not painful.

"Everything is perfect. I'm thankful I didn't break anything or die on the spot.

"It's not sore at all. I was very lucky."

The driver of the other car was uninjured.