By Susan Telai
Two motorcyclists may have been racing down Hoddle Street when they crashed into a car on Monday night, leaving one dead and another in hospital with serious injuries.
The major collisions investigation unit confirmed the two bikers collided with a car that was turning right onto Roseneath Street, Clifton Hill about 8.10pm.
A 24-year-old Northcote man died at the scene after he was thrown from his motorcycle into the path of an oncoming car.
A motorcyclist died in the Hoddle Street crash.
A second driver, 27, was also thrown from his motorcycle and suffered critical injuries. He remains at Royal Melbourne Hospital. Neither has been formally identified.
Detective Sergeant Stuart McGregor said it was “unlikely the man would ever recover from the injuries he sustained".
Police have received conflicting witness reports about the nature of a crash but believe the two bikers may have speeding.
Officers would like to speak to the driver of a white Mercedes Benz sedan who is believed to have spoken to the motorcyclists before to the collision.
Detective McGregor appealed for any witnesses to come forward, adding that investigators have been shocked by the rise in the road toll this year.
The motorcyclist’s death took state toll to 94 this year – 36 more than the same time last year. Eleven of those deaths are motorcycle fatalities.
“We need to accept that it is us. The majority of people who die on our roads are people from our community and we need to talk to everyone in the community to reduce road trauma,” Detective McGregor said.
“It doesn’t matter how good of a driver you are, if you speed, if you’re fatigued or alcohol-affected it is going to have a bad result.”