People in a parked car were lucky not to be shunted into the Whanganui River when another car collided with their vehicle in Somme Parade on Saturday night.
Instead of being pushed into the river, one of the cars hit a power pole, breaking it at the base.
The accident was not far from where Silva Horton drowned in 2009, after the family car accidentally slid into the river and the 13-year-old was trapped inside.
A 79-year-old woman was taken to Whanganui Hospital with moderate chest and shoulder injuries, St John Central Region operations manager Ian May said.
However, a spokesman said no one was admitted to hospital.
The accident happened just after 7pm on Whanganui's Somme Parade, near Stewart St.
Police and fire personnel were still on the scene an hour later, and traffic was restricted to one lane as glass was swept off the road and cars removed.
Yesterday morning the power pole was still being held up by a hoist.