Black ice catches out drivers

Black ice after a ''late freeze'' caused several crashes in the Queenstown Lakes region yesterday.

Two of them occurred near Arrowtown, one resulting in a local man being taken to hospital.

The other was on the Crown Range road.

Sergeant Steve Watt, of Queenstown police, said a 41-year-old Arrowtown man was taken to Lakes District Hospital for checks after rolling his car near the intersection of Malaghans Rd and Coronet Peak View Rd at about 8.30am.

The man was travelling to Queenstown when he lost control after hitting black ice on a bend.

The vehicle hit a bank on the other side of the road, causing it to roll and crash through a farmer's fence, Sgt Watt said.

The man, who remained in his vehicle until emergency services arrived, was taken to hospital after complaining of neck and shoulder pain.

The driver of a following car who stopped at the scene told police her vehicle also slipped on ice on the same bend, but she managed to regain control.

The black ice had formed about 8am after overnight rain, Sgt Watt said.

A resident of the nearby Millbrook estate was unhurt after her vehicle slid on ice and hit a block wall beside a road within the estate.

Also, a minor single-vehicle accident occurred about 8.30am near the area known as ''the icebox'' on the Crown Range road.

There were no injuries in the crash, which was attended by Wanaka police.

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