A 16-year-old boy is in a critical condition in Wellington Hospital after a single-vehicle crash in Whanganui on Wednesday morning.
The teenager was the only occupant of a car that hit a power pole on the corner of Anzac Parade and Rangitikei St. He was not wearing a seatbelt.
He was taken to Whanganui Hospital in critical condition and on Wednesday evening was transferred to Wellington Hospital. A spokesman said on Thursday afternoon the boy remained in a critical condition in ICU.
"It's a sobering reminder of the consequences of not buckling up," Central District Police road policing manager Inspector Brett Calkin said.
"It takes just a couple of seconds, yet it drastically reduces your chances of serious injury in a crash."
The Serious Crash Unit is investigating.