A CAR crash claimed the life of a Clunes district nurse yesterday morning - minutes after she had left the home of one of her patients.
Val Stevens, 64, was visiting an elderly man in Talbot Road, Clunes before the accident occurred at 8.45am.
The former Clunes and District Hospital matron attempted to make a U-turn in her Mitsubishi Magna when it collided with a Nissan Pajero on Talbot Rd near the Galloway St intersection.
Early yesterday police had not released Ms StevensChr(39) name, but news travelled quickly through the close-knit township that the woman who had delivered hundreds of babies in the district was the victim.
Creswick Police Senior Constable William Van Rossum said paramedics worked to save the woman but she died shortly after 9am.
Sen Const Van Rossum said the driver of the other car, a 47-year-old Clunes woman, was taken by ambulance to Ballarat Health Services Base Hospital suffering minor injuries.
"It appears the woman turned into the path of the oncoming vehicle without seeing it," he said.
"She may have had the sun in her eyes or the car may have been in her blind spot - but I guess we will never know."
Sen Const Van Rossum said Ms Stevens had lived in the district for more than 40 years.
He said she had no family in the area but police had contacted her sister who lived in Queensland.
"It is a tragic accident and like most it could have been avoided," said Sen Const Van Rossum.
"It is never a nice thing when a person dies in a car crash like this."
Rural Ambulance Victoria spokesman Paul Bird said the accident was a terrible waste of life at what was meant to be a festive time of year.
On behalf of all emergency services, Mr Bird encouraged motorists to be "extremely careful" when travelling on the roads over the Christmas period.
"I donChr(39)t know why it is but at this time of year our response to road accidents always tends to increase," he said.
"Whether people are travelling on roads they are not used to, or for longer distances than normal, I am not sure.
"This year we need every body to be aware of the risks of driving when fatigued or tired, speeding, the risks associated with drink driving and generally the risks of not being aware of what is going on around them."
Mr Bird said Rural Ambulance Victoria was campaigning for an accident free December to keep the road toll over the Christmas period to a minimum.
In other police news a male pedestrian aged in his 40s was hit by a car in Vincent St, Daylesford at 9.28am yesterday.
The man was treated by the Daylesford ambulance crew for minor leg injuries and taken to the Daylesford Hospital.