Critically injured woman's condition improving after Waipapa accident

The injured woman is loaded into the Northland Rescue Helicopter at the Kerikeri Sports Complex landing zone. Photo / Peter de Graaf

A Northland woman critically injured while crossing State Highway 10 near Waipapa remains in intensive care but by late yesterday her life was no longer in danger.

The 74-year-old was struck by a car at 11am on Friday near Pataka Lane about 1.5km south of the Waipapa roundabout.

The woman, who is from the Russell area, was treated by St John medics then taken to Kerikeri Sports Complex by ambulance.

From there she was flown to Whangārei Hospital by the Northland Rescue Helicopter.

She was initially in a critical condition but late yesterday police reported her condition had improved to serious. At that time medical staff were still weighing up whether to transfer her to Auckland City Hospital.

The northbound lane of State Highway 10 was blocked near Waipapa for more than two hours yesterday while police investigated the accident. Photo / Peter de Graaf

An investigation into the cause is under way but police at the scene said it appeared a couple heading north in a campervan had pulled over onto the side of the road.

The woman got out and was crossing the road on foot, presumably to reach fruit and vegetable stalls in a layby on the other side of the highway, when she was struck by a car also heading north.

Police at the scene of yesterday's accident on State Highway 10 near Waipapa which left a woman critically injured. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Kerikeri Fire Brigade and an investigator from the police Serious Crash Unit also attended.
The northbound lane was blocked until 12.30pm. There were some delays but traffic was able to flow one direction at a time.

Police were examining an SUV that had a broken wing mirror but no other visible damage.