Community rally to save elderly driver at intersection collision
On 25 August at about 9am the driver of a van was turning at the intersection on Pukete and Wairere Drive Hamilton. The van driver failed to comply with the red traffic signal and collided with an oncoming vehicle which had the right of way. This resulted in the van tipping over crushing the elderly van driver’s arm.
Despite the circumstances – within seconds of the crash occurring, other road users came to the aid of both drivers, and when they realised that the driver was elderly and the van was trapping their arm, they quickly came together and as a group pushed the vehicle upright onto its wheels.
Along with a fast response from FENZ, Hato-Hone St John and quick-thinking members of the public, the injured driver was able to be treated immediately.
We were impressed at how the community came together to help one another during the incident and how both drivers showed concern for one another at the scene. They were both in good spirits despite their ordeal. The van driver was taken to hospital for treatment on their arm along with the driver of the other vehicle who had minor injuries.
It’s a timely reminder to always take a second look at intersections and keep a look out for other vehicles even though you have the right of way.
Things could have been much worse if it wasn’t for the quick thinking of other motorists and witnesses at the scene. We are grateful to those members of the public for their attentive and caring response to the situation.
The driver of the van was issued with an Infringement Offence Notice.
Worst Xmas ever?
There's a a lot of planning that goes into Christmas day and sometimes things just don't go to plan. But it can be a good thing - a family mishap or hilarious memory that you can laugh about in Christmases to come.
Whether you burnt the dinner or were stranded at an airport...
Share your Christmas mishaps below!
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️