Driver Charged over Serious Crash SH 2 Otamarakau Saturday 17 July 2010

Western Bay of Plenty Police have charged the driver of a single vehicle involved in a crash on SH2 at Otamarakau, east of Te Puke on 17 July 2010.

The vehicle was travelling from Auckland to Whakatäne when it struck a crash barrier just east of the State Highway Two/Old Coach Road intersection, and rolled before careering off the road, through a farmer's fence into a nearby paddock.

As a result of the crash, five children aged eleven, eight, seven, four, and a four month old infant were thrown from the vehicle, with three receiving moderate to serious injuries.

One of the children was flown by Helicopter to Starship Hospital in Auckland with serious head and leg injuries. She remained in a coma for seven days and underwent surgery to release pressure on her brain.

Acting Senior Sergeant Mark Holmes of the Western Bay of Plenty Road Policing Unit said the 35year old female driver from Auckland will appear in the Tauranga District Court to face charges in relation to the crash.

She will face three charges of Careless Driving Causing Injury and five Charges of Criminal Nuisance for failing to ensure the children were correctly restrained.

"Wearing seatbelts and ensuring children are correctly restrained is probably the easiest step people can take to save their life and the lives of others, or to prevent injury in a vehicle.

"Police are still blown away by the numbers of people who just don’t get this message.

"Using your seatbelt cost nothing, and it could save your life."