Three cars crash after diesel spill

Car slides off corner on Ngunguru Rd

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

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.

Senior Sergeant Cliff Metcalfe said two cars were seen side-by-side in passing lanes on Riverside heading towards Whangarei. Witnesses estimated the cars were speeding in the 50km/h zone. As the cars rounded "The Bluff" the 19-year-old female Audi driver - with her two children in the back aged 1 and 2 - allegedly lost control of the car and swerved left into the path of the other car driven by her partner. Mr Metcalfe said the woman over corrected, and crashed outside Kingsgate Hotel.

A truck and trailer dropped fist-size rocks on Western Hill Bypass.

The air bags were activated. Fortunately the children were in child restraints and the driver was wearing her seatbelt. They were treated for minor seat belt bruising. "This is a serious crash involving poor judgement - someone could quite easily have been killed," Mr Metcalfe said.

Both drivers face a variety of driving charges.

Meanwhile, the source of a diesel spill that splattered across 17km of Ngunguru Rd is a mystery.

Motorists travelling between Ngunguru and Glenbervie faced a challenging trip with the first driver striking trouble just before 8am. Shortly after that two more vehicles ended up in the ditch. Two of the crashes were close to an area known as Murphy's Corner and the other was close to Huanui College.

Kamo police Sergeant Craig Burrows said contractors put "kitty litter" - an absorbent material - on the road but drivers would still be urged to take care, especially in wet conditions. One motorist had told police following the crashes they had seen traces of diesel the day before. It was a mystery as to what vehicle the diesel had leaked from.

And in yesterday's mix of traffic mayhem police were called to Western Hills Drive when fist-sized rocks fell from the trailer of a truck about 1.30pm. The truck with two trailers filled with rocks was travelling north when some of the load fell and became a hazard for following vehicles.

The truck finally stopped near the Kensington Fitness centre.