In a terrible bookend to National Road Safety Week in the ACT, one person has died and another remains in a critical condition after two vehicles collided head-on on Hindmarsh Drive late on Thursday evening.
Police said the crash occurred on the O'Malley side of Hindmarsh around 10.55pm
While the incident is under active investigation, it appears at the early stages that one driver has crossed the median from the eastbound lane into the westbound, and then driven head-on at speed into another vehicle.
No details, such as ages or genders, have been released about the crash victims at this time.
Hindmarsh Drive is the only road in the ACT which has a fixed average-speed camera system so the data captured by this device could assist police in their investigations.
The westbound lanes of Hindmarsh Drive were closed for several hours.
Police are seeking to talk to anyone who anyone who witnessed the incident.
Anyone who captured dash-cam footage of it or any vehicle driving in an unusual manner in the area around the time of the collision, or with any information about the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Quote reference number P2075137.
National Road Safety Week began on Monday, with the Carillon lit in yellow light all week to mark the occasion.
The latest road death takes the ACT road toll for 2022 to seven. Last year, 11 people were killed on Canberra roads.
An update on this collision will be provided on Friday.
National Road Safety Week is a initiative created by the Safer Australian Roads and Highways (Sarah) Group.
Its founder is Peter Frazer OAM, whose 23-year-old daughter Sarah was struck and killed on the Hume Highway 10 years ago.
Sarah's car had broken down on her way to university and she had pulled into the emergency breakdown lane while waiting for assistance.
Tragically, the breakdown lane had not been built to the three-metre Australian standard and while the tow-truck driver was hooking up her car, a passing truck side-swiped the broken-down car killing both Sarah and the tow-truck driver instantly.
