A 1-year-old boy was airlifted to Waikato Hospital in a serious condition after being run over by a reversing car on a driveway in Beverley Tce, Whangamata, about 9.15am today.

The boy is the son of a German couple staying at a property and the driver of the car was another German tourist, heading off for a surf, Whangamata Sergeant Lara Beisly said.

The boy had gone out to play while his parents, who were travelling New Zealand by bicycle, were having breakfast.

"Luckily, the wheels didn't go over him or he would not have survived," Beisly said.

The boy's mother flew with him to Waikato Hospital while the father and a 3-year-old child were driven to the hospital.

Beisly said the driver of the car that backed over the toddler was receiving counselling from Victim Support.