The multiple crash occurred at midday, when a beige Toyota van stopped in the middle of SH6, after its driver indicated a turn, approaching the turn-off to Kingston.
The driver of the following car, Des O'Neill, of Invercargill, said he stopped behind the van, but then he and his wife Molly felt a "giant shunt" in the rear of their Kia vehicle, as a truck crashed into the back of a car, which in turn, caused the three cars in front of the car to crash into one another. The van was untouched and continued on its journey, Mrs O'Neill said.
The female driver of the car hit by the truck was taken to hospital by ambulance. She was reported to be in a stable condition yesterday, although suffering from shock. Ten people and a dog were in the vehicles involved in the crash.
Traffic had lined up up to 400m both north and south of the crash.
Senior Sergeant Warren Newbury, of Rangiora, who was at the scene, said while the van driver's stopping had "presented the opportunity for the crash, they didn't necessarily cause it. The onus is still on the followers to stop."
Any charges the truck driver might face would depend on the injuries suffered by those hurt in the crash, he said.
