Top roads cop’s message to motorists after three killed in freak tree falling tragedy

Victoria’s top roads cop has shared a long weekend message to motorists in the wake of a triple fatality caused by a falling tree in the Yarra Ranges yesterday.

A 32-year-old man, 34-year-old woman and a 16-year boy died after a tree smashed into their car as they drove, pushing the vehicle down an embankment at Kallista.

A woman aged in her 30s and her toddler were also in the vehicle, but survived the accident.

They have been taken to hospital in a stable condition after being pulled from the smashed vehicle on Sherbrooke Road.

It comes less than a year after a father and son were killed in another tree falling incident in the area.

The duo were killed when a gumtree fell on their car at Sherbooke in July 2019.

In the wake of the accident, Yarra Ranges Councillor Mike Clarke is pushing for a safety review of trees in the Yarra Ranges.

Assistant Commissioner for Road Policing, Libby Murphy, described the freak accident as “a complete tragedy”, and urged motorists to take care on our roads.

“Tragedies can happen, the loss of life can happen so easily,” she told 3AW’s Tony Jones, filling in for Neil Mitchell.

“When you’re driving on our roads, or when you’re using our roads, you have to be so very careful and mindful of everything around you.”

Press PLAY below for more.

Arboriculture expert Dr Greg Moore said the heavy rain that fell across the state last week is likely partially to blame for the tragedy.

“If you’ve got lots and lots of rain it weakens the soil strength,” he said.

Root interference is often a factor in tree falling injuries, with trees which have their root systems damaged through road works or construction far more likely to fall.

Press PLAY below for more.