Two vehicles were extensively damaged in separate accidents minutes apart on the same bend of State Highway 6 at Queensberry yesterday morning, prompting a warning by Cromwell police for drivers to slow down on icy roads.
Senior Constable John Chambers, of Cromwell, said black ice covered the moderate bend on State Highway and the occupants of both vehicles were lucky to escape injury.
The first accident happened at 7.30am and involved a man driving a van.
His vehicle slid and he ended up upside down in a ditch.
"As he was on the other side of the road, straight after the accident, he watched another four-wheel-drive vehicle lose control on the same corner but fortunately it rolled away from him rather than towards him," Snr Const Chambers said.
An Auckland family of four were in the other vehicle and it was also extensively damaged, but the occupants were uninjured.
Snr Const Chambers said three stretches of the highway in that area were affected by black ice and the accident site was so slippery "I couldn't even walk across it".
Roading workers were stationed nearby to helped slow the traffic down until grit could be applied on the road.
Motorists needed to be aware that if the road looked wet or damp and temperatures were freezing, there was a high likelihood of black ice.
While gritting roads helped, it was not the complete answer and drivers also had to slow down.
• A car skidded off State Highway 6 in the Kawarau Gorge on Thursday evening but the driver escaped without injury.
Acting Sergeant Blair Duffy said it appeared the car hit ice and slid off the road at Roaring Meg about 8.45pm.
