Cruise passengers praise HB driver after crash

7th January 2009

KATE NEWTON

Three cruise ship passengers needed medical care yesterday afternoon - but the quick actions of their bus driver kept the collision from being much worse.

Napier Road residents came out to comfort the 26 shocked passengers with tea and biscuits while ambulance officers checked them over after their bus and a car collided about 12.30pm.

Three were taken to Hastings Health Centre with cuts and bruises.

They were later picked up by Bay Tours and Charters owner, Kathryn Marsh, and taken to their cruise liner The Sun Princess before it left at 4.30pm.

A 7-year-old boy was taken by ambulance to Hawke's Bay Hospital to have a cut on his head stitched.

Some bus passengers believed the situation could have been worse.

Garry Williams, from Melbourne, praised the driver's fast reactions.

``He did a great job. If we had hit her straight-on there's a chance the bus could have tipped or her car would be under the front of it,' Mr Williams said.

The tourists had been travelling along Napier Road on their way to Arataki Honey.

Senior Constable Garry Ubels said it looked as if the car turning right into Lawn Rd had crossed their path.

``The driver took complete evasive action and as a result hit the back of the car and not the front where the boy was sitting,' Mrs Marsh said.

The 26 bus passengers hugged their driver as they made their way out of the dented bus telling him ``it's not your fault' and ``thank you'.

``We are all fine, just more concerned for the driver, he's a bit shaken,' Peter Caton, also from Melbourne, said.

``But it's okay, it's something for us to talk about over dinner. People pay money for this kind of excitement.'

Mr Ubels said the driver of the car was upset and unable to provide any information at the scene.

Local bus company Nimons came to the tourists' rescue to take them on the rest of their day trip.

``So they still got the Hawke's Bay experience,' Mrs Marsh said.