Holly-Mae Hills and boyfriend Javan Cruickshank escaped serious injury when their car hit a police vehicle that U-turned in front of them.

A young couple say they should not have survived a high-speed crash when a Marlborough cop pulled out in front of them on State Highway 1.

Holly-Mae Hills, 21, and Javan Cruickshank, 20, the son of television's Sensing Murder psychic Kelvin Cruickshank, said they were lucky to be alive following the crash on State Highway 1, near Clarence on Wednesday night.

Cruickshank was driving his Toyota Corona at 90kmh on a straight section of road at Dead Man Stream about 7.30pm.

Hills saw a police officer had pulled over a driver at the side of the road.

Their car was 40 metres from the police car when the officer pulled out suddenly to do a U-turn.

"He didn't look over his shoulder at all," Hills said.

Cruickshank slammed on the brakes and braced his body to the back of his seat.

Hills remembers the sound of a large crunch on impact.

"I remember shutting my eyes because I didn't want to see the accident. The sound freaked me out. I put my right arm up over my face and must have whacked my head off the dashboard."

When she was 10 she was in a car with her father when a four-wheel-drive vehicle pulled out of a BP petrol station in New Lynn, Auckland and crashed head-on with their vehicle.

"All I could think of was I hope this won't be as bad as that accident."

Cruickshank was trapped in the driver's seat but Hills was conscious and able to get out of the car.

"I felt really shaky and had to hold on to the car for support."

Hills suffered pain in her stomach from the seatbelt and pain in her right shoulder and neck.

She walked over to the police car and the officer was standing beside the car looking shaken.

"I asked him if he was OK and he asked me the same thing. He was a nice officer. I expected him to be raging but he admitted he was at fault."

Cruickshank said the officer continued his police work and directed traffic past the accident scene. Hills and Cruickshank were taken by ambulance to Wairau Hospital's emergency department. Cruickshank had only a minor scrape to his elbow.

Hills had intense pain to her neck and numbness in her right hand. Her X-rays were clear and she was kept overnight for observation. She was released from hospital with pain killers yesterday afternoon.

The couple, who are living and working on dairy farm in Edendale, Southland, spent last night in a motel paid for by police. Police would also pay for the couple's belongings to be couriered to Edendale where the couple live on a dairy farm.

Cruickshank's car, which suffered severe frontal damage, is being evaluated.

Marlborough area police commander Inspector Simon Feltham said early reports suggested the police car was at fault.

Police said the officer involved had not been stood down.

Cruickshank intended to contact the officer.

"I don't know what I will say. I just want to check that he is OK."

Hills said they were lucky to be alive.

"I feel bad for him but we are educated on the rules of the road to look both ways, he should have looked over your shoulder.

"We are very lucky. We shouldn't have survived this."

"Somebody must be watching over us," Cruickshank said.