Andrew Killick, 40, died when his Toyota Hilux utility and another four-wheel-drive vehicle collided head on less than a kilometre north of Daysdale in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Insp John Wadsworth, of Albury police, said initial investigations revealed the Oaklands man was not wearing a seatbelt.

“We can only speculate that it would have been a different story if he had been,” he said.

The man was driving north on the Corowa-Urana road when his utility veered into the southbound lane, colliding with a Toyota Prado that was towing a horse-float.

Insp Wadsworth said the only positive to come from the “tragic incident” was that a girl, 8, who was travelling with her mother in the Prado, was not badly injured.

Her mother, of Taminick near Wangaratta, was yesterday receiving treatment at Albury Base Hospital for a fractured sternum and collapsed lung.

“All I can say is please be careful when you’re driving — pull up and have a rest, alcohol and driving do not mix and just take it easy on the roads, especially with all the rain we’ve been having,” Insp Wadsworth said.

“You don’t have to drive at 100km/h if that’s what the speed limit is, you can drive to conditions and I recommend you do.”