Seven people were taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital yesterday afternoon, two of them with serious injuries, after a crash involving a van and a utility on a notorious stretch of SH2 at Mangateretere.
"We've seen other accidents here," Roslyn Epapara, a relief teacher at Mangateretere School said.
She had been outside with 13 children, waiting for the arrival of the school bus, when the crash happened just after 3.30pm.
"It was this huge loud crash. The children saw it - some of them were crying and pretty upset."
She said a blue Toyota van, with six men in it, had been travelling north and appeared to begin turning into Pilcher Rd, which leads from SH2 to Haumoana.
It was in collision with a utility vehicle heading toward Hastings.
Ms Epapara said she ushered the children away from the area and quickly got on her phone to call 111.
She said one man climbed out of the van, staggered around it, and then collapsed.
"It was fortunate though because there was a police car coming up the road at the same time, so he was right there."
St John Ambulance operations manager Stephen Smith said the sole occupant of the utility received neck and back injuries and had to be cut from the vehicle. He and the driver of the van were listed as serious while the five other occupants of the Toyota received moderate injuries.
Mr Smith said they appeared to be foreign workers.
While Napier-bound traffic was able to get through, Hastings-bound traffic was diverted through Pilcher Rd and Havelock North.
Police were investigating the cause of the crash, and while speed may not have been a factor Ms Epapara said the stretch was notorious for speed - despite signs warning traffic of the school.
"We've tried everything to slow traffic."
In the Mangateretere and Pilcher Rd area there have been four crashes over the past five months. December 27, car hit power pole; March 7, car hit power pole; March 14, car left road; May 27, two-vehicle collision.
Seven hurt at crash black spot
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