Stock on the loose prove a winter hazard once more

Police are once again urging motorists to be particularly vigilant over the dark, wet winter months, and calling on farmers to ensure their fences, especially those bordering roads, are secure after three crashes in the Far North in 24 hours.

The most serious accident, at Peria early on Saturday morning ('Serious injuries,' Northland Age June 24), could well have cost a 26-year-old local man his life according to emergency services.

Two men dragged the seriously injured forest worker from the car as it burst into flames after crashing into a wandering steer on Oruru Road, a police spokesman saying the man would have perished had his rescuers not gone to investigate the screeching of tyres, a loud bang then the revving of an engine.

Emergency services were called to the crash at 6.15am, the driver being was flown to Auckland by rescue helicopter with serious head injuries. He was transferred to a ward after two days in intensive care.

Constable Tim Murdock (Mangonui) said it was still dark as the forest worker drove to work, and it would have been very difficult to see the black 3-year-old steer. Two men from separate nearby houses had gone to investigate, the car igniting as they assessed the driver, who was semi-coherent. They dragged him from the burning vehicle and put him in the back seat of another car until a St John ambulance crew arrived.

"He is very lucky he was pulled out, and lucky he wasn't trapped because the roof of the car was caved in," Constable Murdock said.

"If it hadn't been for those two guys this could have easily been a tragedy."

It appeared that the steer, which died on impact, had jumped out of its paddock, given that the fence did not appear to be damaged.

Constable Murdock had already attended a similar crash on Friday evening, where a vehicle driven by a 56-year-old woman struck a horse that was wandering on State Highway 10 between Conaglen and Taupo Bay roads. The woman was the only person in the vehicle, the collision causing her car to cross the centre line, coming to a halt on a grass verge on the other side of the highway.

She escaped with minor injuries, described as bruising and abrasions, but the windscreen of the car was smashed by the horse, which had escaped from a set of cattle yards. It was destroyed by a neighbouring farmer.

Early on Saturday evening two cars hit a cattle beast on State Highway 1 at Mangamuka. No one was injured but the animal died.

Northland police head of traffic Inspector Murray Hodson said the impact of hitting a cow or horse was like hitting a brick wall, and drivers needed to be more aware with the long dark days of winter and reduced visibility. Farmers also had a responsibility to ensure their roadside fences were secure.

"In an animal's pursuit of feed in winter they can knock over vulnerable fences or push through gaps in a fence line," he said.

Drivers should report wandering stock without delay on *555.