Lucky escape after Mountain Rd crash (+video)

A stand of trees has saved three young men from potential injury after the car they were in ran off the road on Mt Ngongotaha.

The crash happened about three quarters of the way up Mountain Rd about 5.15pm today.

Sergeant Simon Betchetti of the Rotorua police said a driver travelling down the hill on a wet road failed to take the bend.

He said neither alcohol or speed were factors and inquiries into the crash were continuing.

An occupant of the car, who did not want to be named, said he, his brother and a friend were leaving Rotorua and wanted to get one last look at the city before they left.

Three young men escaped injury when their car went off the road about three-quarters of the way up Mountain Rd this evening. Photo/Ben Fraser

"We came round a corner on Mountain Rd and our brakes did not work well.

"The road was slippery and we went off track and slid around the corner and down the bank."

He said the car went about 3m down a bank before it came to rest against a stand of trees that stopped the car from falling even further down the mountain.

"If those trees weren't there we would have rolled down the mountain.

"The car ended up on its side. We all had to climb out one of the doors."

He said none of those in the car were hurt or badly shaken, but they were feeling a bit lucky it was not any worse.