An man in his 50s has died after being struck and thrown into the path of another vehicle in Lilydale early on Friday morning.
Emergency services were called to reports of a pedestrian who had been hit by one car and thrown into the path of another on Victoria Road near the intersection with Maroondah Highway about 6.35am.
The pedestrian, confirmed to be a 57-year-old Lilydale man, died at the scene.
Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives closed the road between Albert Hill Road and Akarana Road, with detours in place, to investigate the circumstances of the incident, which are yet to be determined.
The car drivers were not injured, remaining at the scene to speak with investigators.
This is the third pedestrian death for the Yarra Ranges and Maroondah area since June.
A man was killed on Dorset Road in Croydon on 16 June and an 81-year-old pedestrian died in hospital after being struck by a car in Mooroolbark on 24 June.
These were the only pedestrian deaths to be recorded in the local government areas since 2022, with one pedestrian in the Yarra Ranges losing their life that year, making this a particularly devastating three months.
As of 14 August, 29 pedestrians had lost their lives from vehicle collisions in Victoria, a 32 per cent increase on last year’s figure of 22.
In July, Victoria Police launched Operation Aware in an attempt to curb pedestrian deaths.
Road policing Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir said Victoria Police would be prioritising the safety of everyone during the operation set to finish at the end of September.
“This is not about levelling blame at anyone, this is about saving lives and reducing the amount of trauma on our roads,” he said.
“We’ll be focusing on all road users and all behaviours that put pedestrians at risk of being involved in a collision – whether it’s failing to give way, distraction, speeding, impaired driving, riding on the footpath, or not using designated crossings.”
May to August is historically the highest risk period for collisions involving pedestrians, with reduced visibility due to less daylight hours and inclement weather during winter both major contributing factors.
Residents along Victoria Road in Lilydale said it’s not uncommon for people to cross the road at the point between Albert Hill and Akarana Roads because it reaches a natural crest, allowing people to see what is coming in both directions.
Motorists are advised to avoid the Victoria Road area with the roads expected to be closed for several hours.
Anyone who witnessed the incident, has CCTV, dashcam footage or any other information that could assist police is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
