A 61-YEAR-OLD man is dead and two passengers injured after a car collided with a power pole in central Wanganui yesterday.
The crash occurred about 4.15pm on London St, between Grey St and Fitzherbert Ave, after the driver lost control of his vehicle and veered into the pole.
He died at the scene.
Three other people, including a two-year-old child, were in the car.
The two adult passengers were treated for broken legs, but the child was unhurt.
Police closed a section of London St, which doubles as SH3, near the crash scene, and power was temporarily lost in the surrounding area.
Eyewitness Keely Skinner said it appeared the driver lost consciousness shortly before the collision, losing control and hitting the pole at about 40kph.
"It hit the curb a bit and then we realised the driver had 'coma-ed' or something," she said.
The front seat passenger tried to take control of the wheel as the car bounced off the curb, moments before impact, Miss Skinner said.
She said a woman travelling in the front seat was thrown through the windshield.
"The lady went flying. The baby was sitting on the mother's lap, with no seatbelt or anything."
The fatal crash followed a series of near misses on Wanganui roads this weekend.
Constable Stu Duncan said five other people could have lost their lives on local roads.
A 16-year-old male was uninjured after a crash on Mosston Rd about 11.30am on Saturday.
Mr Duncan said the man crossed the central line and travelled about 100 metres after leaving the road.
"The car appears to have rolled," Mr Duncan said. "He's a very, very lucky boy."
Two drivers walked away from a crash on SH3 about one and a-half hours later, after a north-bound vehicle crossed the centre line, clipping a car travelling in the opposite direction.
The driver of the north-bound vehicle received minor injuries.
"That is luck personified. It could have been two dead people."
There was another lucky escape just after 2pm on Saturday, when a young mother and child avoided injury after hitting a fence on SH3 near Maxwell.
"The mother was distracted by her child, veered right across the centre line and ended up through a fence on the other side of the road."
"That could have been a double fatality if a truck had been coming the other way."
Mr Duncan said drivers should always pay attention to the road and drive to the conditions.
"Don't try and do everyday tasks while you are driving. You're there to drive. You're not there to talk on your phone, or do anything else. Be aware of distractions."
He said drivers should be especially vigilant during the holiday season.
"A lot of these accidents are avoidable and we should have had five more dead people this weekend."
One person killed in crash, five others have near misses
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.