An 18-year-old man from Bendigo has been confirmed as the person who died in Tuesday’s crash on the McIvor Highway at Longlea.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The teenager was travelling towards Bendigo in his grey dual cab utility when it crashed into a truck and tipper travelling in the opposite direction at the intersection of Alexander Road, about 10.35am.
The man, the only occupant of the vehicle, died at the scene.
The truck driver was not seriously injured, but was described as being “fairly shaken” and was taken to Bendigo Health by road ambulance.
Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash, but it is believed the deceased man’s vehicle crossed onto the wrong side of the road.
Leading Senior Constable Brian Smith said excessive speed was not believed to have been a factor in the crash.
The section of road on which the crash occurred has a 100km/h speed limit.
Leading Senior Constable Smith said the vehicles spun out of control as a result of the impact, with the ute stopping almost 40 metres from the point of impact, and the truck more than 120 metres away.
Debris from both vehicles was left strewn along the road.
The highway was blocked in both directions for about four-and-a-half hours as emergency services worked to clear the scene, police carried out their investigations, and the truck was towed.
Officers have spoken to witnesses and the driver of the truck.
Witnesses will be offered support for road trauma.
In the wake of the crash, Leading Senior Constable Smith urged drivers to concentrate at all times on the road.
“You can’t lapse for a minute, or a second,” he said.
“You lapse for a second and this is the sort of stuff that happens.”
The man’s death brings the number of lives lost on Victoria’s roads so far this year to 11, two higher than the same time last year.
“Unfortunately we’re only… 16 days into the year and we’ve already got one [fatality in the Bendigo area],” Leading Senior Constable Smith said.
Tuesday’s fatality was the second to occur on roads in central Victoria.
Earlier this month, a 37-year-old Castlemaine man was killed when the car in which he was travelling crashed into a pole in the centre of Castlemaine.
Police have urged anyone with any information about yesterday’s collision to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.