On Saturday morning, Daniel Clulow died when the car he was a passenger in hit the rear of a tanker.

The car was travelling south along the Princes Highway when it hit the tanker, which was turning out of Creole Road.

The three other occupants of the car were also injured.

The 25-year-old female driver was airlifted to St George Hospital, while a male and female passenger were also rushed to hospital.

Police said they received an emergency call from Mr Clulow shortly before the crash claiming shots were being fired at the car he was in.

Speaking at the conclusion of Operation Chrome, a two-day campaign targeting regional road safety, Southern Region commander Assistant Commissioner Barrie said the tragedy showed how one accident could affect so many lives.

"That particular fatality, whilst it's still under investigation, I guess is evidence of the issues I'm speaking about this morning," Assistant Commissioner Barrie said.

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"Unfortunately there was a fatality in regard to that accident but also some of the other passengers were seriously injured.

"It gives you an understanding of the impact of even a single motor vehicle accident, not only on the individual who might lose their life - and our thoughts go out to their families - but there's also the other occupants of the car who are often seriously injured."

Operation Chrome took place on Friday and Saturday last week across the Southern Region and focused on road safety issues like drink and drug driving, mobile phone use and seatbelt offences.

"While the majority of people have abided by the law and the majority are diving safely there is still a significant number of people choosing to drive under the influence," Assistant Commissioner Barrie said.

"In Southern Region alone 42 people were found to be drink driving and 26 were subjected to a random drug test who were suspected of driving under the influence of drugs."

Assistant Commissioner Barrie said police had heavily publicised the road operation ahead of the weekend, rather than making it a covert activity in the hope of catching more people breaking the law.

"Part of this is about education," Assistant Commissioner Barrie said.

"We don't want people out on the road doing the wrong thing. We want to give them every opportunity to heed the message, to understand the issues and to stop behaving the way they are."