The team were travelling back from Palmerston when the car they were in was struck by a falling tree on the northern motorway, north of Waitati, about 10.25pm on Tuesday.
"It was a freak accident. No wind, still as — we thought we were involved in a landslide because we had bushes and pine cones falling on the roof of the car and smashing our windscreen," team member Kimberley Bain, of Dunedin, said.
The four occupants of the vehicle were lucky the 49-year-old driver reacted quickly, and did not overcompensate and end up rolling into the nearby creek.
Nobody was injured in the crash, Ms Bain said.
People assisted the group, but everyone assumed they were fine and left the scene, leaving them alone with no cellphone service and a large tree blocking the road on a bend in the pitch black.
"We drove to the tree to try stop people smashing into it — it was petrifying."
The four managed to clear one side of the road and nobody was stopping their vehicles, she said.
"Luckily, after flagging more cars down, preventing other crashes using our cellphone lights and hazards, some people helped and put their hazard lights on and head torches and high-vis."
Eventually, emergency services were contacted.
Ms Bain estimated they were in the cold for about 40 minutes before anyone stopped and assisted.
"I believe we saved so many crashes but in saying that, that was incredibly risky and could have turned into a way bigger accident.
"We were so grateful when the firefighters came and just cared and took over. They gave us blankets and talked us through a traumatic time."
Firefighters used a chainsaw to clear the road and police gave the four a lift back to Dunedin.
Yesterday at 6.30am, one person was transported to hospital with minor injuries after a crash, also on the northern motorway.
Emergency services were called to the crash on State Highway1, near the Patmos Ave overbridge in Pine Hill, about 6.30am.
A witness said the crash involved one vehicle that appeared to have struck a bank and rolled on its side.
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman said crews from Dunedin and Willowbank stations attended and provided initial first aid.
No-one was trapped in the vehicle, he said.
A Hato Hone St John spokesman said one patient with minor injuries was transported to Dunedin Hospital.
