A teenage boy riding a scooter has had a brush with death after crashing into a 15-tonne truck in central Otago.
Police say the 15-year-old Alexandria boy was riding his 50cc scooter along Dunstan Road in Alexandria, when he got distracted and hit the truck about 3.30pm on Tuesday.
"It is apparent that the actions of the truck driver have saved this rider from serious injury or death," Senior Sergeant Ian Kerrisk said.
"This is as close as you can get.
"When a large truck hits a scooter the outcome is generally not a good one, so this lad is very, very lucky."
The teenager is being assessed in Alexandra Medical Centre, but his injuries are not serious, and the truck driver is unharmed.
Their names have not been released.