A man has died and another is in hospital in a serious but stable condition after a two-car crash on the East Derwent Highway, north of Hobart, early this morning.
A passing motorist reported the crash between a white Toyota Hilux and a silver Holden Rodeo near Otago Bay Road around 4:20am on Friday.
Emergency services had to free both drivers from their vehicles before they were taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital.
The driver of the Hilux, a 55-year-old man, later died in hospital. The 28-year-old driver of the Rodeo remains in a serious but stable condition.
Acting Inspector Rob Bessell said the Hilux was travelling south and the Rodeo north at the time of the crash.
He said the 55-year-old man had been on his way to work.
The highway was closed between the Clives Avenue roundabout at Old Beach and the Bowen Bridge for about five hours while crash investigators examined the scene.
The crash is the third fatal crash on the East Derwent Highway in recent months.
A woman in her 80s died in a head-on crash at Old Beach on September 7, while two people died in a crash involving a Holden Barina and a Mitsubishi Triton on the highway in June.
Acting Inspector Bessell said the cause of today’s crash would form part of police inquiries and the officers who attended would be offered support.
“Fatal accidents are always confronting,” Acting Inspector Bessell said.
He said police would increase high-visibility patrols on the highway to target speeding and other high-risk driving.
He also urged motorists to slow to 40km/h when passing emergency vehicles with flashing lights.
There have been 26 fatal crashes on Tasmanian roads so far this year, which Acting Inspector Bessell described as “statistics that we just do not want to see on Tasmanian roads”.
Ahead of the AFL grand final weekend, he urged people not to drive after drinking and to remind friends and family to leave their keys at home.
Police will also have an increased presence around busy areas, including the Hobart waterfront and Salamanca.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has dashcam footage from the area is asked to contact police on 131 444, quoting OR817728.
