A woman who watched her daughter and a friend's daughter knocked down by a car in Dunedin yesterday said it felt like time stood still as the car collided with the children.
"It happened so slowly ...from my perspective it was forever."
The woman, who declined to be named, her 8-year-old daughter and a friend's 15-month-old toddler, who was in a pram being pushed by the older child, were crossing Mechanic St in Northeast Valley, about 9.20am, on their way to the Botanic Garden, when the car turned in to the street from North Rd.
"He was just right there. I was watching him, but I could see that he was looking at the on-coming traffic."
The two children, both girls, were knocked to the ground, and the mother bumped by the car.
Both children hit their heads, but sustained only minor injuries. While the woman was in shock, passers-by made multiple calls to emergency services.
Senior Sergeant Mel Aitken later said the driver told police he was blinded by the sun and had not seen the trio.
The toddler had "a small welt to her head, but was very lucky, given her age".
The incident had the potential to be much worse, she said.
It was too early to say if the man would be charged.
