Woman critical after crash

A 24-year-old woman is in a critical condition in hospital after her car hit a power pole in Paeroa.

Waikato District Road Policing Manager, Inspector Freda Grace, says the crash happened early on Saturday morning on Ainslie Road, Paeroa.

It is one of two crashes in the Waikato region prompting police to warn motorists that both themselves and their vehicles must be fit to drive.

Though the Paeroa crash is still under investigation by the Waikato Serious Crash Unit, and awaiting blood test results, it appears speed, alcohol and lack of a seatbelt are all factors, says Freda.

"Sadly, if proven correct, these contributing factors seem to mirror a similar crash in Hamilton on Wednesday where a car crashed into a tree after the driver had been drinking leaving two people seriously injured."

The second crash about 6am today when a car travelling from Rotorua towards Kihikihi collided with a horse on Arapuni Road by the Pukeatua Primary School.

"It was still dark at the time of the crash and it appears two horses have escaped from a paddock and been in the path of the westbound car.

One horse was killed in the collision and one of the car's occupants suffering serious injury.

"The second horse was located down the road by responding police and placed in a paddock."

Freda says while all the factors leading up to the crash are yet to be examined the incident served as a timely reminder to land owners to ensure fences adjoining roadsides were secure and for motorists to ensure their vehicle's lights were functioning properly.

She says road safety is all about prevention, and if police can establish all the factors leading up to a crash public education can hopefully prevent a repetition of what has occurred.

'Just like how we ask all motorists to be fit to drive we ask drivers to ensure their vehicles are fit for the road.

'We also need property owners to ensure the integrity of their fences and gates.

'If all that is done then Waikato roads will be a safe place for all our community use and enjoy."

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