Dashcam captures video of dangerous overtaking in Kaimai Ranges

Watch the terrifying moment a car comes hurtling towards a truck on a North Island highway, with the truck driver left in disbelief as it passes to the left of his truck and trailer unit.

The footage has since gone viral on social media, where people reacted with shock to such brazen dangerous driving.

Truck driver Warren Gaiger captured the frightening ordeal in an expletive-ridden dashcam video, recorded in the Kaimai Ranges on Tuesday.

Gaiger couldn't believe his eyes when a black SUV sped toward him on a passing lane. The car then swerved to the outer lane to avoid Gaiger.

The incident was over in a matter of seconds, as Gaiger pulled his truck to a screeching halt, leaving plumes of brake dust and smoke hissing from the wheels.

Gaiger can be heard cursing loudly in the video, having stated on a social media post, "almost time for a costume change while going up the Kaimai's [Tuesday]."

The car appeared to be overtaking three other vehicles in its lane - a truck towing a boat, and two other truck-trailer units, one of which captured the same incident from a different angle.

However, it seemed the SUV failed to overtake and made a quick decision to drive along the furthest lane to its right, skirting the grass berm.

Video shows the car only managed to return to its side of the road as another truck approached.

The car could be seen with the branding of a Matamata business on its side. The SUV was a courtesy car from a local mechanic, and the business otherwise had no involvement in this incident.

Peter Henderson, owner of Action Automotive, wished to clarify that it was a courtesy car, as he had received a "number" of abusive phone calls after the incident.

Henderson said that Gaiger contacted him and sent the video. He then contacted the driver and sent the footage to police.

"It was lucky that it was our car," Henderson said, "because you couldn't identify the licence plates from the video, but you could see our company branding."

While it is legal to pass on a three-lane road if there are no solid yellow lines,
Waka Kotahi advises motorists to check that lanes are clear at least 100 metres ahead.