[TonyMeister]

Holy shaite!

Car:2010 BMW 535i

Description:
The driver of this late model BMW collided with a milk tanker. Although the car ended up as one big mangled piece of metal, he survived the crash.

Location: Palmerston, New Zealand

WreckedExotics: BMW 535i F10

One person has been taken to hospital with critical injuries after a crash involving a milk tanker and a car near Sanson in the Manawatu.

The occupant of the BMW car was taken to Palmerston North Hospital by St John. He was described as status one, the most serious category.

A dog in the car was also injured in the crash.

However, a Palmerston North Hospital spokesman said the man was this afternoon in a stable condition. He remains in the intensive care unit.

The crash occurred about 8.35am on State Highway 3, south of Sanson. The road was expected to be closed for several hours. Traffic has been diverted via Wellington Rd and Penny Rd.

The impact between the north-bound BMW and the south-bound Fonterra tanker forced the tanker into a ditch.

Milk on the tanker would have to be pumped into another vehicle before the truck could be lifted out of the ditch by a crane.

The police commercial vehicle incident unit were investigating the crash.

Tanker and car collide

A Palmerston North man has survived a horror smash with a milk tanker, but his $146,000 (146,000 New Zealand dollars = £73,989 = €89,702 = U$$114,128) late model BMW – described as one of the safest cars in the world – is a mangled wreck.

The 40-year-old man was in Palmerston North Hospital in a serious but stable condition today after the 2010 BMW 535i he was driving was involved in a collision with a Fonterra milk tanker on State Highway 3, south of Sanson, yesterday morning.

He was travelling north when the car and the tanker hit about 8.30am.

Neither vehicle was believed to be speeding, but the force of the impact tore the car's bonnet off and showered the road with debris across several hundred metres.

The man was out of the car when emergency services arrived and members of the public had gone to his aid.

The driver of the tanker was in shock but not injured.

A dog in the BMW was also injured in the crash and was treated by a vet in Bulls.

Senior Sergeant Kris Burbery said it was one of the most mangled cars he had seen where an occupant had survived.

"The vehicle hasn't split in two but certainly it's pretty significant damage," he said.

"Certainly it'd be right up there amongst the crashes where the damage to the vehicle has been severe."

Mr Burbery said modern vehicles provided superior safety features, and in this case the car's front end had crumpled to take the impact.

"They do absorb the impact a lot more than perhaps an older type vehicle, that's been proven," he said.

"That's what it's designed to do, is to take the impact and it reduces the trauma to the person."

Gary Young, principal dealer at Geoff Gray BMW Manawatu, said the 2010 BMW 535i was one of the safest cars on the market.

He said they looked bad after a crash because of the way they crumpled to spare the occupants the impact.

"They've probably got one of the best designed safety cells. You've got all the airbags.

"It's just one of the best designed cars," he said.

The safety cell was like a "cage" protecting those inside it. In the crash yesterday, it remained largely intact.

Motoring writer Rob Maetzig said that although many of the car's features are optional, it is "absolutely" one of the safest vehicles in the world "with a wealth of new-age safety aids".

"These cars can carry everything from a heads-up display which puts things like speedo reading on the windscreen, to a lane departure warning system.

"They can also carry a collision warning system which uses radar to determine potential collisions and even take over the braking for the driver if a crash is imminent."

Police said the accident was a reminder to other motorists of the importance of concentration.

Sergeant Chris Fraser said driving conditions were perfect and the crash appeared to be the result of a moment's inattention.

"This is how some people are going to remember their Christmas holidays for the rest of their lives," he said. The road was closed for about four hours while police cleared it of debris.

Crushed car may have saved driver's life. $146,000 car one of the safest in the world

[valcor535]

WOW!!! Impressive....

[joey5622]

Wow... Wonder how they crashed into each other like that... I'm assuming someone was using their phone or something while driving..

[JSCO]

yikes!!

[vladberca]

good that everyone survived

[EdM5]

OMG

Luckily nobody was riding shotgun in the F10.

[datbimmerdoe]

[TonyMeister]

Originally Posted by EdwinF10

OMG

Luckily nobody was riding shotgun in the F10.

Actually, the driver's side got the brunt of the impact.

[EdM5]

Originally Posted by TonyMeister

Actually, the driver's side got the brunt of the impact.

Of course, it's a NZ car.

[TonyMeister]

Originally Posted by EdwinF10

Of course, it's a NZ car.

I know mate, I'm just pointing out to our American friends.

[EdM5]

Originally Posted by TonyMeister

I know mate, I'm just pointing out to our American friends.

Actually I forgot about right hand drive in NZ myself.
Now I'm even more stunned that the driver survived.