The crash happened when a seven-seater people-mover with a mother and five children inside collided with a car with a mother and baby on board about 3pm.
Police and Fire and Emergency New Zealand crews responded to the crash, which occurred at the intersection of Itchen and Severn Sts.
It is understood no ambulances were available and police took the mothers and children to Oamaru Hospital to be checked.
Sergeant Tony Woodbridge, of Oamaru, said he was unsure about the seriousness of any injuries.
"Hopefully, these wee kiddies aren’t too seriously injured. They got a big fright, obviously, and it’s just a matter of them being looked after here at the hospital," he said.
When asked about the hospital transport, he said ambulances "must have been off at other incidents".
"But we had fire and their first aid staff turn up from Oamaru Fire Station and from Weston Fire Station. They had first responders attached to their crew and my staff were all trained to various degrees in first aid as well."
Hato Hone St John rural Otago area operations manager David Milne said
St John was notified of the crash at 3.08pm.
The Oamaru ambulance was committed at a higher- priority incident in the town at the time but once finished at that incident responded to the Itchen-Severn Sts crash. It was stood down on the way as an ambulance was no longer required, Mr Milne said.
Police are investigating the crash.
