A HEAD-ON collision which claimed the life of a Ballarat motorcyclist on Sunday was the start of a tragic day of fatalities on Victoria's roads.
In total, four people died in separate accidents, with 36-year-old's death at Foxhow, north of Camperdown, being the first of the fatalities about 12.55am Sunday.
It is believed the man was heading home to Ballarat when he collided with a car on Foxhow Road.
Police investigators said the man, riding a Victory motorcycle, crossed onto the wrong side of the road, just past the Bakers Road intersection, and collided with a south-bound car.
He died at the scene.
The sedan was carrying four people, all from Warrnambool.
A woman in her 20s, who was the front seat passenger in the car, suffered a minor laceration to her head and was taken to Camperdown hospital. She was released shortly afterwards.
The other occupants of the car, all men believed to be in their 20s, were not injured.
Senior Constable Marty Howells of Camperdown police said the collision occurred on a straight stretch of road and in good weather conditions.
He said investigations into the cause of the crash were continuing.
The Foxhow fatality was the first of four across the state on Sunday, sending the road toll to 205 and more than 20 deaths than this time last year.
Another man died at Mount Moriac, near Geelong, about 3.15am when the van he was driving collided with a petrol tanker on the Princes Highway.
Police said the man in his 40s died at the scene after he lost control of his vehicle which crossed onto the wrong side of the road and collided with a west bound tanker.
Then at 3.30am, a man died after a single car accident at Point Wilson, near Geelong.
Police have been told that car travelling towards Geelong, on the Princes Freeway near Point Wilson Road, left the roadway and drove through a wire fence about 3.30am.
Another motorcyclist then lost her life after colliding with an oncoming truck at Year about 11am.
Investigators believe the motorcycle was travelling on the Goulburn Valley Highway near Limestone Road when the rider crossed onto the wrong side of the road and collided with an oncoming truck.
Road Policing Command Assistant Commissioner Robert Hill said the spate of fatalities had been "heartbreaking".
"In one day our officers have had to deliver death messages to not one, but four families," Assistant Commissioner said.
"They've had to tell people their loved ones are not coming home.
"It's absolutely devastating."
He pleaded with drivers to take care on the roads in the lead-up to Christmas.
"It's time for the community to decide that enough is enough," he said.
"Whether you're a driver, a rider or a pedestrian, everyone needs to take responsibility for road safety. If you know you shouldn't be on the roads, stay away and avoid becoming another statistic."
