Waikato road warning: Caution urged in foggy conditions after serious crashes

The woman driver of this Mazda was left with critical injuries after landing 4m in a ditch after glancing the vehicle with a milk tanker on Wednesday night. Photo / Hamilton city fire area Facebook

Hamilton firefighters are urging motorists to be cautious after two serious crashes in foggy conditions.

One crash has left a woman fighting for her life after a brush with a milk tanker, while a motorist at Whatawhata had a lucky escape after ploughing through a fence and over a ditch into a power pole.

Hamilton's Te Rapa station officer Brett Couper said both crashes had a familiar theme - fog.

He reminded drivers to take more care and drive to the conditions as there was now more traffic on the roads.

The first crash saw a car glance a milk tanker on Telephone Rd at Puketaha about 7pm yesterday.

The Mazda car has then careered about 4m to 5m down a steep ditch.

Crews have been busy attending serious accidents in a matter of hours last night and this morning. This is a telling...

Posted by Hamilton City Fire Area on Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Then, about 6.20am today, a car came around a bend, left the road, slid over grass and over a drain before smashing into a power pole.

Couper said the sole male occupant has managed to get himself out of the car and call emergency services.

He was taken to Waikato Hospital with moderate back injuries.

"If people can just drive to the conditions. If it's real foggy then just slow down."

He said firefighters had been relatively quiet over the lockdown but Hamilton crews had noticed a significant increase in callouts over the past 48 hours.

The man driving this Mitsuibish escaped with moderate injuries to his back after losing control on a bend at Whatawhata early Thursday morning. Photo / Hamilton city fire area Facebook