A child has been killed and several others have been hospitalised with severe injuries after a collision on the Hamilton Highway near Stonehaven, west of Geelong.
The tragic incident occurred around 9 pm on Wednesday when two vehicles collided head-on, according to Victoria Police.
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The collision resulted in the death of a child in one vehicle, who was declared deceased at the scene.
Another child, a man, and a woman from the same vehicle were rushed to Geelong Hospital.
The injured child sustained life-threatening injuries, while the man and woman suffered serious injuries.
In the second vehicle, two men were also transported to the hospital, one with life-threatening injuries and the other with minor injuries.
This marks the second road fatality in Victoria this year, following the death of a 31-year-old man in Bayswater North on New Year’s Day.
Both incidents have occurred in the aftermath of the deadliest period on Victorian roads in 15 years, with a total of 296 road deaths recorded in 2023.
Of the 2023 fatalities, 173 occurred on rural roads, witnessing a 28 per cent increase from the previous year.
In response to the concerning trend, Victoria Police initiated a targeted road trauma operation during the Christmas period, resulting in the detection of over 19,000 traffic offences from December 15 to January 1.
During the same period, 16 lives were lost on Victorian roads.
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