Highway Blocked After Four Multiple Collisions

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28981, 24 August 1959, Page 12

Highway Blocked After Four Multiple Collisions

(New Zeeland Press Association)

AUCKLAND, August 23. Three persons were hurt and the Great South road blocked to traffic for 45 minutes tonight when a total of 17 vehicles were involved in four separate accidents just south of Drury. The accidents happened within half an hour of each other as a heavy stream of traffic beaded north towards Auckland. Four cars had to be towed away and two others had smashed radiators. The multiple crash was the worst In the district since the day of the fourth Springbok Rugby test in 1956, according to Mr C. J. Williams, manager of a local garage. On that occasion, 12 cars telescoped and seven were extensively damaged. The first collision occurred at 5.30 pan. on a level, but narrow, stretch of road just south of the Drury post office. A north-bound vehicle broke down and as traffic came to a halt behind it there was a series of crashes and 10 cars in a row telescoped. Three of the cars were immobilised.

Two motor-cyclists managed to divert traffic to another road.

Meanwhile, three persons who had received cuts and bruises were given first aid by a Papakura doctor.

Police had just arrived on the scene when they were called to a second crash about 400 yards away on the overhead bridge at Runci* man. Three cars telescoped, but

no-one was hurt and the cars left under their own power. As traffic slowed down approaching the detour, there was a third crash a few hundred yards further south. Three more cars received bent fenders and bumpers.

While two tow waggons were clearing the broken-down cars from the scene of the first accident, there was a sound of brakes and a crash from the direction of the detour route. A large sedan had run into the back, of another car.