A horrific year on Goulburn Valley roads as death toll continues to rise, TAC stats show

It has been an awful year on Goulburn Valley’s roads with 50 people losing their lives so far. We take a look at the most dangerous parts of the valley.

The scene of a truly dreadful collision in Yarroweyah which led to five fatalities.

It’s been a horrific year on the roads in Victoria — particularly in the Goulburn Valley — with 244 people losing their lives across the state.

According to the TAC, that figure represents a 16.7 per cent rise compared to the same time last year.

Of those deaths, 141 have been in rural Victoria, a 21 per cent increase compared to the same time last year.

In the Goulburn Valley there have tragically been 50 fatalities, including 14 in Greater Shepparton and 13 in the Moira Shire.

It comes as two children sadly lost their lives in Shepparton East recently in tragic circumstances.

Goulburn Valley roads have notoriously bad intersections, often with blind spots and poor signage.

The RACV said “often is the design of the road that turns what could have been a minor crash into a killer”.

It also said that Goulburn Valley Highways “have crash problems” and may need funding for safety upgrades.

On average, five people die on Victorian roads each week.

See the most dangerous areas to drive in the Goulburn Valley below.

1. Greater Shepparton

There have been 14 fatalities in the Greater Shepparton area so far this year.

There have been fourteen deaths on Greater Shepparton roads in 2023.

The first fatal collision occurred on January 4 when two vehicles collided travelling in an adjacent direction at the intersection of Cosgrove and Lemnos roads.

The horrific scene of the incident at Cosgrove-Lemnos roads in January.

This collision resulted in the deaths of four passengers — Harpel Singh, Baljinder Singh, Krishen Singh and Bhupinder Sandu.

Only a few weeks later on January 22, there was another fatality in Kialla West, where a young man ran crashed on Mitchell Rd.

On February 7, 2023, a collision in Katandra West saw the death of a 74-year-old woman after her car collided with a B-double truck.

Another collision in the Katandra area on March 5, 2023 resulted in the death of a 19-year-old male.

2. Moira

There have been 13 fatalities in the Moira Shire so far in 2023, making it the second deadliest region in the Goulburn Valley.

There have been 13 deaths on Moira Shire roads in 2023.

The Moira Shire encompasses the towns of Cobram, Nathalia, Numurkah, Tungamah and Yarrawonga.

The Goulburn Valley Highway stretch from Numurkah to the New South Wales border is one of the top five worst sections of highway in Victoria, according to the RACV.

On April 20, 2023, there was a multiple vehicle collision in Yarroweyah that resulted in five fatalities.

The scene of a truly dreadful collision in Yarroweyah which led to five fatalities.

Earlier in 2023, there was a two vehicle collision in on the Murray Valley Highway in Yarrawonga which resulted in the deaths of two males.

3. Strathbogie

There have been six deaths on Strathbogie Shire roads in 2023.

There have been six deaths on Strathbogie Shire roads in 2023.

Strathbogie Shire includes the towns of Avenel, Euroa, Longwood, Nagambie, Strathbogie and Violet Town. Two people died in a brutal collision on January 20, 2023 in Creightons Creek. There have been two deaths in separate incidents in Locksley, while another person sadly died on July 9 in Gooram.

There have been two incidents resulting in death in Locksley, located in Strathbogie Shire.

Another awful collision occurred on November 4, when a Shepparton teenager crashed her car into a tree in Euroa.

4. Campaspe

There have been five fatalities in the Campaspe Shire in 2023.

There have been five deaths on Campaspe Shire roads in 2023.

The Campaspe Shire encompasses the towns of Girgarre, Echuca, Kyabram, Rochester, Tongala and Rushworth.

On 22 September there was a horror collision in Nanneella when a motorcycle and car collided at the intersection of Winter and Webb roads.