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A Corrections officer driving a prison bus with 11 inmates was shaken but unhurt when his vehicle veered across the centre line and crashed into a 4WD.
The bus was taking the prisoners - including one maximum-security inmate - from Rimutaka Prison in Upper Hutt to Mt Eden Prison in Auckland last Thursday.
It was trailing two vehicles on State Highway 1 north of Tokoroa about 3.30pm when it crossed the centre line to avoid ploughing into the middle car, which had braked to avoid the 4WD vehicle in front.
The bus pulled out on to the wrong side of the road and hit the 4WD, which was turning into Deihl Rd.
"The bus has caused the whole thing by following too close," said Constable Glen Taylor of Tokoroa.
"The bus has tagged the turning vehicle on the right-hand rear, sending it into the corner of the intersection.
"If something was coming the other way ... it could have been a lot worse."
National's corrections spokesman, Simon Power, said the Corrections Department should exercise more care.
The driver of the 4WD was shaken, but no one was injured. The prisoners remained secured.
The bus driver faces a fine for failing to keep the bus in its lane.
Mr Taylor said police asked him to take a break from the wheel.
"Hopefully, the driver had a serious wake-up call on how long it takes to pull up a fully loaded bus. If he had had another five feet of space, he wouldn't have hit the vehicle."
Mr Taylor could not confirm allegations that the bus driver was speeding.
"[The driver] reckoned he was doing the speed limit, but if you can't stop before hitting the vehicle in front of you, you're going too fast or you're travelling too close."
A department spokeswoman said no further action would be taken.
