Road toll rises to five as police urge drivers to take care during holiday period
Police are pleading with drivers to stay safe this holiday period as the holiday road toll rises to five.
A woman has died after the driver of the car she was riding in lost control and flipped on the South Gippsland Highway, near Koonwarra in Victoria, earlier this morning.
The woman died at the scene and the male driver, in his 20s, suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital.
An image from the fatal car accident. Source: 7 News.
Another man, a motorcyclist aged in his 20s, was killed on Wednesday after he collided with a taxi in Albert Park, in Melbourne's inner south.
It comes as horrified family members witnessed a fatal accident, which killed a 53-year-old man about 20km north of Gin Gin in Central Queensland, when two cars collided on the Bruce Highway on Wednesday.
It was the nation's first fatal crash over the Christmas period.
Assistant Commissoner Mike Keating has pleaded with drivers to slowdown. Source: 7 News.
A man aged 65 and a 59-year-old woman were taken to Bundaberg Hospital with chest, back and shoulder injuries.
Queensland Police Assistant Commissioner Mike Keating says the death was 'extremely unfortunate' and urged drivers to take care as they travel to Christmas celebrations and holiday destinations.
"We're really hoping that everyone can have a healthy, happy and safe Christmas and we can all make a contribution to making that happen on the roads," he said.
"We'd like to see the lowest possible road toll that's available to us right across the campaign period.
"That's no more fatalities, no more injury crashes, no more drink drivers, no more drug drivers."
Shocking images from the fatal car accident. Source: 7 News.
A man aged 65 and a 59-year-old woman were taken to Bundaberg Hospital with chest, back and shoulder injuries. Source: 7 News.
Queensland police are increasing safety operations over the Christmas period, including stepping up drug testing.
Mr Keating said 273 people have already died on Queensland's roads in 2015, which is 16 more than over the same period in 2014.
Forensic police are at the crash scene near Gin Gin and the highway has been closed in both directions, with traffic being diverted.
Meanwhile, Tasmanian Police research shows motorists are most likely to have an accident on Christmas Eve.
Australia has recorded its first road fatality of the 2015 Christmas holiday season. Source: 7 News.
The danger period of noon to 8pm was identified by examining the state's crash statistics from the past five years.
The national road toll period runs from 0001 December 23, 2015 until 2359 January 3, 2016, local times.
News break – December 23
