A crash due to surface flooding on Thursday has prompted a warning from Oamaru police to drivers to remain alert and not rely on signs for warning in wet weather.
Senior Constable Carl Pedersen said at 8pm on Thursday night, an Oamaru driver apparently failed to notice water on the road from recent rain at Georgetown.
The vehicle aquaplaned when it hit the water and rolled off the road.
No injuries resulted, but Snr Const Pedersen said it served as a reminder for drivers to be alert, even some time after rain.
''Even some time after rain, there's quite likely to be areas of surface flooding and if you hit that at speed, it may cause you to crash,'' he said.
''Unfortunately, a lot of the time, when that occurs, people are relying on signage, but the necessary authorities may not be aware of it, may not have put signage out or the signage sometimes gets blown over.''
Waitaki District Council roading engineer officer Rodger McGaw said five roads around the district remained closed yesterday, due to surface flooding.
Brooklands, Grange Hill and Patterson Rds were closed on Thursday, due to rising river levels, while Springfield Rd, from Thousand Acre Rd to Fortification Rd, and Gees Rd remained closed from flooding in April.
Caution was urged at Papakaio Rd, where flooding had made the road surface uneven, and at Switchback Rd, where there was still some surface flooding at the bridge, Mr McGaw said.
A general caution was also in place in the Corriedale Ward roading network. A contractor was working on several sites in the Kakanui Valley, he said.
In most cases, signs were in place to alert drivers to the road conditions.
- by Rebecca Ryan
