In less than 72 hours, there were 10 serious collisions on Victorian roads resulting in nine fatalities from Saturday to Monday.
Several other victims were transported to hospital, with multiple sustaining life-threatening injuries.
It brings Victoria’s road toll to a 14-year-high of 159, up 17 from the 142 at the same time last year.
The fatalities come amid a horror couple of days on Greater Shepparton roads that saw a high-speed crash at Kialla and three drink-drivers caught at three times the legal alcohol limit.
Road Policing Command Superintendent Justin Goldsmith said while investigations were still under way into the weekend collisions, many of them were a result of a single act of non-compliance or inattention.
“It’s no secret that ultimately serious collisions occur due to a lack of respect for the responsibility that comes with being a road user,” Mr Goldsmith said.
“What we have seen this weekend has been devastating and there are many families whose lives have changed forever as a result of the trauma on our roads.”
Several of the weekend’s collisions happened in regional areas.
“People living locally shouldn’t fool themselves into thinking road trauma doesn’t happen to them. Country people die on country roads,” Mr Goldsmith said.
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