Police use Facebook to dispel 'tourist' Christchurch crash rumour

Senior Constable Anita Osborne said the driver of the vehicle has admitted it was his error. Photo / NZ Police

By Andrew King

Police have used social media to quash rumours a serious crash between Barrys Bay and the Hilltop Tavern on Sunday was caused by a foreign driver.

Senior Constable Anita Osborne posted on the Akaroa Buy Sell and Exchange and Community Notice Board Facebook page: "Before there is any speculation about tourist drivers and bad motorbikes, not that I expect anyone would jump to conclusions would they, the driver of the car admits driver error and was very co-operative - and he lives in Canterbury."

A 31-year-old motorcyclist suffered life-threatening injuries when he collided with a car on the Christchurch Akaroa Rd about 4pm.

He suffered an "open book pelvis fracture" intensive care paramedic for Westpac Rescue Mike McLintock said.

The driver of the car was uninjured.

Akaroa-based Senior Constable Osborne said yesterday she put the post up to let the locals know what was going on, but worded it the way she has to stop people from jumping to conclusions.

The road was closed for about three hours after the crash.

She thanked emergency services in her post.

"It was full on for a while there and everyone was amazing," she posted.​

There has been a spate of crashes recently in the Akaroa area.

"There have been two drink driver related crashes and three driver error crashes," she said.