Family in hospital after car crash

A 14-month-old boy and his parents are in Tauranga Hospital after their car crashed down a five metre bank on State Highway 2 in Whakamarama today.

Tauranga Police are seeking witnesses to the crash which occurred when the car was overtaking on the passing lanes north of Whakamarama, shortly before 1pm.

A car crashed down a bank on SH2 in Whakamarama today.

The adults, a 23-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman, both from Katikati, are believed to have suffered moderate injuries in the crash.

The baby, which was in a child safety seat, was uninjured.

“What we understand at this stage is they pulled out of overtake a truck and a slow moving van, which itself may have begun to overtake,” says senior constable Chris Hills.

“Possibly the driver got a bit of a fright. She pulled to the right, there was a motorcycle coming the other way and she may have felt she was between a rock and a hard place.”

The driver lost control while taking evasive action and went over the drop, five metres into gorse in a paddock below the road.

Police are appealing for the van driver and any other drivers who might have seen the accident to contact them at Tauranga South Police Station, Ph 578 3460.

The family was taken to Tauranga Hospital by St John Ambulance.

They are being assessed in the Tauranga Hospital emergency department this afternoon and conditions are not yet available.