A family of ducks crossing the Vanier Highway in Fredericton Sunday afternoon caused two separate crashes involving five vehicles that sent one person to hospital with undetermined injuries.

Fredericton police officer Sgt. Paul Battiste said a car travelling eastbound on the Vanier Highway near the Kimble Drive overpass stopped to let a family of ducks cross the road sometime before 2 p.m. A second car stopped behind the first but a third car was unable to stop and rammed the second car which then hit the first car that stopped.

Battiste said there were only minor injuries in that crash as a result of the airbags deploying.

A short time later a motorcyclist travelling eastbound on the Vanier Highway on the same stretch of road swerved for the same family of ducks.

A vehicle passing the motorcyclist also swerved to avoid the ducks but the vehicle ended up hitting the median and flipping onto its roof. The driver was taken to hospital with undetermined injuries.

Battiste said at least two of the ducks died.

The eastbound section of the Vanier Highway remains closed as accident reconstructionists investigate the scene of both crashes.