Teenager survives spectacular crash
BY JARED MORGAN
WRITE-OFF: The Nissan Silvia involved in the crash is checked by emergency services.
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An 18-year-old man walked away from the wreck of the car he was driving after a spectacular high-speed crash near Invercargill yesterday.
Police and firefighters at the scene were left scratching their heads at the fact he had not been seriously hurt or killed after losing control of the heavily modified 1996 Nissan Sylvia in Mill Rd North, on the northern outskirts of Invercargill, about 9.20am.
Farmer and witness Murray Swain said he called emergency services to the crash opposite the intersection with Rose Rd after watching the airborne car land in his paddock.
"All I saw was a white car doing corkscrews in the air."
A man who had been working in the milking shed said he heard the car revving followed by a series of bangs.
"I thought uh-oh that can't be good," he said.
The southbound car left a 300m trail of debris from parts of its fibreglass body-kit that broke off as it ran off the road and ripped through long grass.
The car clipped a power pole and narrowly missed slamming into the side of a bridge, before leaping the north branch of the Waikiwi Stream and landing on a flax bush on the other side, propelling the vehicle back into the air. It then landed on a wooden fencepost and rolled into the paddock.
Senior Constable Tony Vincent said while the driver was in shock it appeared he not been injured in the crash. "He's extremely lucky to be walking around."
Invercargill Fire Service senior station officer Graeme Gilroy agreed. "It's the airbag that's saved him."
The man was assessed by St John staff at the scene before being taken to Southland Hospital as a precaution.
Mr Vincent said the driver had admitted speed was a factor and he had "just gunned it", but a space-saver tyre fitted to the rear driver's-side wheel probably had also contributed to the crash.
Investigations into the incident were continuing, but charges against the driver were likely.
The driver also had some explaining to do – the car had been borrowed from a friend, Mr Vincent said.
- © Fairfax NZ News
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Southern drifting yehh boi
for 1 thing they are raising the driving age and y wud it be illegal to drive on space savers if they put them in your. he was actually going to get new tyres for the car
yea 3k burnouts for the boys
I thought space savers were illegal? What a dick, he could've killed himself - or more importantly, anyone else (or even stock)... Raise the driving age, and lower the CC rating of the vehicle for younger drivers I say.
oxygen thief,
what were you thinking ?
just another d!ckhead spoiling it for car enthusiasts who know how to handle a RWD and wouldn't be so silly as to drive like a nutter with a space-saver on the back. If ya didn't have an airbag, ya woulda been a contender for a Darwin award mate.
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How many kids have to die before they learn?? But now they'll think this will get them their space in town even more, DON'T THINK SO! even if you's do get your wish there is no way that speed will be accepted. You's are truly ruining it for the rest of yous. So far the only thing anyone will look at is putting the driving age up & making it like a motor cycle license where you have to work your way up engine sizes, since you obviously can't handle they big boys toys....