The men were killed instantly when their trucks collided about 1km south of Woomargama on the Hume Highway.

While police are still trying to establish the events leading up to the crash at 1am, it is believed it may have been caused by driver fatigue.

Insp Richard Harvey, of Albury police, said it appeared as though the truck travelling north had crossed over into the southbound lane.

It has crashed head-on with another truck, leaving cabins and trailers in a mangled heap.

Their contents, comprising plaster board and pharmaceutical products, were strewn across the road.

The accident, which happened on the single-lane road just 1.5km north of the new dual carriageway, has drawn an angry response from truck drivers who were among the first on the scene.

They said something should have been done years ago to improve the notoriously dangerous stretch of highway.

“They take enough money off us in fines and everything else, but it never gets put back into the road,” said one truckie, who did not wish to be named.

“Stuff like this just shouldn’t happen.”

His colleague said the lack of roadway investment was unfortunately not limited to the Hume.

“With the Newell Highway they went from 110kmh back to 100kmh, so what does that tell you?” he said.

“It says the road is not suitable for a car to be driven at 110kmh on.

“Our politicians really need to get in a truck and go for a drive.”

The accident closed the Hume Freeway from 1am until 7pm yesterday.

Northbound traffic was diverted to the Olympic Highway to Wagga, and southbound vehicles from Holbrook to Culcairn.

Police were last night still trying to confirm the identities of the men.

NSW Rural Fire Service team manager George Alexander was among the emergency services personnel called to the accident.

He said the wreckage was “sprawled” all over the road.

“It’s up with some of the bad ones I’ve seen in the many years I’ve been doing this,” he said.