Two young children have lost their brave mother who was killed by a passing car as she tried to help others at the scene of a fatal Melbourne road crash.
The 27-year-old woman stopped to help after a motorcyclist and an Audi collided overnight at a Wantirna intersection.
"This lady has stepped forward, thought she could help and unfortunately, it's led to her death. She's a hero," police crash investigator Detective Inspector Brad McArthur told reporters on Tuesday.
The victim, who was only a short distance from home, was struck by a Honda Prelude after she parked her car and went to help, the senior officer said, expressing sorrow for the good Samaritan's children.
"They are going to have to live their life without a mother," he said.
"It's going to be a hard road."
The motorbike rider, 37, hit in the initial crash died at the scene.
Inspector McArthur confirmed he was in possession of cash and white powder at the time and was known to police.
The Audi driver had stopped at an intersection, and thought he could safely turn right, he said.
But the motorcyclist was travelling "well in excess" of the 80km/h speed limit when hit and thrown from the bike.
The 50-year-old Audi driver and his 47-year-old female passenger were uninjured and stopped to help.
A 32-year-old Boronia man, who was the driver and sole occupant of the Honda, was also uninjured and stopped to help.
Police have spoken to all parties and the investigation is ongoing, but Insp McArthur was critical of the motorcyclist's riding.
"We've got a person that was driving in an irresponsible and reckless manner, who's caused a chain of events that caused his death and the death of a person who was actually trying to help him out," he told 3AW earlier.
"In this line of work, we see the worst in people's behaviour on the roads. Then again, we see some really good people trying to do the right thing and ending up in circumstances where they're being killed or injured as well - this is a perfect example of that."
