Decision to buy car seat saves youngster

CRUNCH: The car and van involved in a three-car pile-up on High St on Tuesday afternoon.

The driver of a car involved in a three car pile-up on Tuesday is thanking his lucky stars he and his partner invested in a car seat.

The man, who had his partner's young son with him in the car, had just picked up some groceries and was driving along High St when the van in front of him crashed into the back of a silver car turning into Fleet St.

He said it all happened quite fast when the van crashed into the back of the first car.

He braked but it was too late.

"I had nowhere to go."

His partner's son had a small cut across his neck from the seatbelt on his booster seat.

"It's just a graze really but it's a good thing we bought that bloody car seat.

"That car booster seat saved his life."

The man had been heading towards Featherston for a doctor's appointment.

Wairarapa road policing manager Sergeant Chris Megaw said the first car was turning into Fleet St when the van ran into the back, then the black car behind the van smashed into the back of the van.

No one was hurt, he said.

"It's just one of those things that happens on a busy main street in Masterton."