A Katikati woman is in a critical condition in Tauranga Hospital as police investigate how she was hit by a car carrier in the township.

The 88-year-old, who was on a mobility scooter, was clipped by the truck as it headed towards Tauranga on State Highway 2, between Jocelyn Street and Fairview Road, at around 12.40pm yesterday.

Katikati Volunteer firefighters attend to the elderly woman after she was hit by the truck. Photo: Elaine Fisher.

She was found underneath the truck's trailer, with Katikati Volunteer firefighters and St John paramedics attending to her before she was transported to Tauranga Hospital.

Western Bay of Plenty road policing manager Senior Sergeant Ian Campion says the woman is in a critical condition and no further comment will be made as the Serious Crash Unit is still investigating.

Diversions were in place at Jocelyn Street and Fairview Road for about three hours around the accident site.

Katikati Volunteer Firefighter Brendan Gibbs believes the woman was clipped off her mobility scooter and went under the car transporter.

It is understood she had reached the pedestrian refuge in the middle of the road and appears to have attempted to cross the other lane when she was struck by the car transporter.

'It ran over her legs, I think, so she has leg and head injuries and was complaining about a sore side or shoulder,” says Brendan.

'She is lucky to be alive I guess.”

The woman was found underneath the truck's trailer, but was not trapped. Firefighters kept her in a comfortable position until St John paramedics arrived.

'We just kept her there until St John arrived and they were comfortable with moving her,” he adds.

Brendan says the accident highlights the need to get heavy motor vehicles off the township's main road, calling for a bypass.

'Seven years ago they did a truck count of 120 an hour - that's one every 30 seconds,” explains Brendan.

'We have one pedestrian crossing and one stand in the middle to wait for the truck to go past.

'Generally they [the trucks] are pretty good but maybe through the main street they should be slowed down to 30km because we also have a narrow main street.”