Traffic chaos descended on Whangarei with three crashes linked to a diesel spill, another vehicle written off after hitting a brick wall, and rocks spilt from the back of a truck on State Highway One.
Police say it was only luck they were not called to a fatal crash yesterday after a woman with two children in her car spun out of control on Riverside Drive, crossed three lanes of traffic, a median barrier and smashed head-on into a brick wall.
The crash came 20 minutes after police had spent nearly three hours cleaning up the carnage following a major diesel leak on a busy road east of Whangarei.
![Single car accident on Riverside Drive](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/TY5Q6VVQPPPFLHCRBC66MQS6GA.jpg?auth=37bb77c243e6cf98a65cf2ef0a8c519b29a8ee9edf7f15ce0c8b1ea456665e96&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
The Riverside Drive crash left the front of the Audi A3 extensively damaged about 10.50am yesterday. A senior officer said it was only luck that no one died in the crash given the speed of the car and the wet road conditions at the time.