Three crashes on notorious road

Five people were hurt in this three-car crash on State Highway 2. Photo / Greg Bowker

Ten people were hurt - and one man walked away uninjured - in three separate crashes on a notorious stretch of highway in just six hours yesterday.

No one was killed in the accidents on State Highway 2 near Maramarua, in the Waikato, but a 2-year-old boy was last night in a critical condition in Starship hospital.

In the first crash just before 10am, a motorist was lucky to escape serious injury after losing control on a corner, rolling through trees and crashing into a garden.

The young male driver went through Alan Clarke's fence after his tyre burst while going around the bend.

"He came flying through my fence backwards ... He's pretty lucky he walked away from it."

An hour later, two cars collided head-on less than 1km away.

The police officer from the first crash was the first to reach the wreckage and gave CPR to a 2-year-old boy in the south-bound car until paramedics arrived.

He was last night fighting for his life in intensive care while his parents were in a serious but stable condition.

The married couple in the north-bound car were also cut from the wreckage and taken to hospital in a serious condition. Police were unsure which car had crossed on to the wrong side of the road.

"It's lucky that no one was killed. So many crashes happen on this stretch of road," said Sergeant Mark Toomey.

Five hours later, Mr Toomey was at the scene of a three-car collision which again happened outside Mr Clarke's house.

The driver of a south-bound car lost control going around the corner and hit an oncoming vehicle. The driver of the third car could not stop in time.

Five people were injured, including one man who was flown by the Westpac Rescue helicopter to hospital in a serious condition.

"We were just finishing up on the other one when this one happened so we had to turn around and come back ... It's been a long day," said Mr Toomey.

Mr Clarke said locals had been pushing to get the speed limit reduced to 70km/h on that part of SH2.

"So many crashes happen along here. One guy just up the road had just put his fence back up after someone went through it. Then someone else crashed through it again."

Another local also wanted the speed limit to be lowered.

"Our kids are getting to the age when they can drive. Now every time we hear a siren, our hearts stop."

In another Waikato crash, five people were injured when a car and milk tanker collided about 10km south of Te Kuiti just before 2pm.

Firefighters said at least one person was trapped and had to be cut from the wreck.

A St John spokesman said two people were seriously injured and another three had moderate injuries.