A CAR has plunged 6m off the second level of a carpark, hurtled across a road and crashed into a park shelter at Tweed Heads today.

The 83-year-old female driver has been taken to hospital in a critical condition after the car drove off the second floor carpark of Tweed Centro Shopping Centre after noon NSW time (11am QLD time).

SUNDALE CRASH CAUSES GRIDLOCK

The woman was attempting to leave the car park of the shopping centre when she was involved in a minor crash with another car.

She then drove at speed, crashing through a barrier before hurtling 100m across the road and crashing into a barbecue shelter in the nearby Chris Cunningham Park.

Genevieve Synnott saw the scene unfold.

“I had just gone for a swim across the road when I heard a screeching sound from the carpark,” the 31-year-old from Tweed Heads said.

“The car plummeted out from the second floor and fell straight down.

“I ran over there but I thought no one could possibly survive something like this.”

Ms Synnott said it looked like the woman had hit the accelerator instead of reversing.

“There was nothing I could do,” she said.

“The car kept rolling and crashed into the barbecue area, so I went to help her with three other people.

“The whole thing was insane — it’s lucky no one was underneath.”

The accident was reported by an employee in a nearby flower shop and police are investigating the cause of the smash.