Emergency services were called to a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of North Canal Road and Willow Grove Road in Trafalgar — about 77 miles east of Melbourne — at around 5:55 p.m. local time on Sunday, May 11, Victoria police said in a news release.

One vehicle was being driven by a 52-year-old man, who was accompanied by a 49-year-old woman, thought to be his wife. Their two children — a 19-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy — were in the back seats. Per News.com.au and 7News, the vehicle drove through a stop sign and crashed into another car.

 

 

After the impact, the vehicle rolled off the road and down an embankment, Victoria police said. The woman died at the scene, while her driver husband and their two children were taken to the hospital with “serious injuries.”

“It’s just an absolute tragedy that we’ve got the loss of a life, a wife, a mother — on Mother’s Day — is killed in a crash that just should never ever have occurred,” said Detective Sergeant Amos, according to ABC.

Just a moment of inattention, a moment’s distraction, you go through a stop sign and you ruin your life and the lives of your family in a single blow,” he continued. “Someone is going to have to explain to this lady’s family, her children, why this happened, and believe me, that is no easy task.”

“They’ve been there when they’ve lost their mum, on the worst possible day,” Amos said of the children, the outlet reported.

The 60-year-old driver of the other vehicle sustained minor injuries, and his 58-year-old female passenger was taken to the hospital with “serious injuries,” according to Victoria police.

The crash happened during a horrific 48 hours on the roads in the Australian state of Victoria that saw 10 people killed and left several fighting for their lives, 9 News reported.

Detective Sergeant Amos urged drivers to be cautious, saying, per 7 News, “Pay attention, be alert, slow down, concentrate. Because without doing that, you’re going to lose somebody; somebody dear, somebody close, and somebody important.