Motorists have warned of the deadly risks of stepping foot on high-speed roadways after two women lost their lives trying to help an injured kangaroo.
The women were struck and killed on the Hume Highway at Craigieburn in Melbourne's outer north on Thursday night.
Road policing assistant commissioner Glenn Weir said the pair were driving towards the city when they hit a kangaroo and stopped to assist it.
Police believe another vehicle travelling in the same direction did not see their car until the "last minute" and swerved to avoid it, hitting the women at high speed.
A 30-year-old Beveridge woman died at the scene, while a 30-year-old Thomastown woman was flown to hospital and later died.
The driver stayed at the scene and assisted police.
Mr Weir said the section of the freeway was a dark area at night.
He said everyone wants to stop and help injured animals but reminded motorists of the dangers of doing so.
"It's inherently dangerous to be on the roadway particularly at night ... and drizzly conditions," he told ABC Radio Melbourne on Friday morning.
"You've just got to really consider your surroundings.
"Terrible for the person driving behind, who struck them, (and) other people on the freeway who saw what happened."
The road policing head appeared at a parliamentary inquiry into wildlife road strikes on Monday.
As well as promoting driver education and public awareness, the inquiry is investigating road strike-related major trauma incidents.
The Craigieburn crash continues a horror week on Victoria's roads, with nine people losing their lives in four days.
Three of those killed were pedestrians, three were motorcyclists and three were in vehicles.
The state's road toll has lifted to 205 deaths, 11 more than at the same time in 2024.
Mr Weir said road fatalities had fluctuated over the first eight months of 2025.
"We've had four months this year well under average, four months well over average," he said.
"The commonality is that there's really no commonality."
