Two drivers dead following horror crashes in Barossa Valley and Yorke Peninsula

Two men have been killed in separate smashes, as four people die in five days on SA roads in an appalling start to 2023.

A young man has died in a horror crash in the Barossa Valley on Thursday night, while another driver lost his life in a separate road incident on the Yorke Peninsula.

The deaths mark four fatalities in five days on SA roads – and make it the second-worst start to the year in a decade.

Just before 10.30pm, police and emergency services were called to Zerk Rd at Shea-Oak Log to reports a vehicle crashed into a tree.

The driver and sole occupant of the truck, a 27-year-old man from Leasingham, died at the scene.

Major Crash officers are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The road was closed for several hours, but has since reopened.

From January 1, 2020, to February 2, 2023, there have been three fatal crashes at Shea-Oak Log – a young female passenger in July 2020, a male driver in his 30s in April 2022 and yesterday’s victim.

Inattention was a factor in both the 2020 and 2023 incidents, while speed also contributed to the 2023 crash and dangerous driving was behind the 2022 smash.

A 27-year-old man has died in a horror crash at Shea Oak Log on Thursday night. Picture: 7NEWS

It is understood the truck crashed into a tree along Zerk Rd. Picture: 7NEWS

Hours after Thursday’s accident, a driver died in a crash on the Yorke Peninsula.

About 10.50am on Friday, police and emergency services were called to the intersection of Irwine St and Heritage Drive at Wallaroo following reports a car left the road and hit a tree.

It is understood the vehicle crashed into the tree at high speed.

The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, a 48-year-old North Beach man suffered serious injuries and died at the scene.

Road restrictions are in place while Major Crash officers attend the incident and authorities have asked motorists to avoid the area if possible.

Investigations into the incident are continuing.

The Leasingham man and the North Beach man are the 12th and 13th lives lost on South Australian roads this year, compared to four at the same time in 2022.

Police Assistant Commissioner Ian Parrott said the number of lives lost was “completely unacceptable”

“There’s been a life lost on South Australia roads in less than every third day of this year so far,” he said.

There have been four fatal crashes on metropolitan and regional roads between January 30 and February 3.

As well as the man from Leasingham and the North Beach man, an 18-year-old man died on Monday in the state’s South-East and 25-year-old Odetta Maxwell died on Tuesday on Port Wakefield Hwy.

A car and truck collided on Thursday on the same highway near Two Wells, with two woman seriously injured.

Mr Parrot said there was a higher number of drivers seriously injured, raising concerns about lifelong repercussions form “preventable” road crashes.

Regional drivers are make up a disproportionate number of the road death toll so far this year, he said, with two out of three lives lost on country roads.