A 24-year-old man has died after the car he was driving crashed into a tree and caught fire in Latham on Thursday morning, bringing the death toll on ACT roads this year to six.
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ACT Policing said the crash happened on Ginninderra Drive about 4.55am.
A single car was travelling westbound when it crashed into a tree and caught fire, killing the driver. Police said there were no passengers.
The car appeared to have crashed through a wire fence and uprooted a tree, and the colour, make and model of the car were not obvious in the aftermath.
"This is a horrible scene", station sergeant Susie Ball said, noting "it is very unusual for a vehicle to catch fire".
"Given the intensity of the fire, I would presume that the person did die from their injuries.
"At this stage ACT Policing don't know why the vehicle has caught on fire. That will form part of the investigation, to establish why that occurred."
ACT Policing's Collision Investigation and Reconstruction Team are investigating and will prepare a report for the ACT Coroner. ACT Fire and Rescue will assist police with the investigation.
At 9am, it was still frosty on the side of the road at the scene and on the grass, but police declined to make any early connection to the frosty conditions.
"It was minus five degrees and those factors will be taken into consideration," Sergeant Ball said. "Our message to the public is to drive to the conditions."
Emergency services were alerted to the crash by local residents who heard it and saw the fire, but police are calling for more witnesses to come forward.
Ginninderra Drive remains closed westbound between Kingsford Smith Drive and Tillyard Drive, and police said the road will remain closed for several hours.
Police would not reveal any information about the car.
The crash comes as police focus their attention to driver distractions throughout June, including frosty windscreens and mobile phone use.
"We are going into winter so we have things like icy windscreens that prevent people from seeing out the front - again, another driver distraction. We would ask people to make sure their windscreens are clear," Sergeant Ball said.
"Our message to the public is drive to the conditions. Canberra can be cold and foggy, the roads do get icy. Slow down, you need to focus on your driving and not be distracted."
Belconnen's roads have been highlighted as some of the most dangerous in the capital, with Ginninderra Drive rating high.
Roads ACT crash statistics released in September revealed more than 300 casualty crashes occurred in the northern region in the past five years, including more than 200 at intersections and another 90 on stretches of road.
Of these, 10 occurred on Ginninderra Drive at the Tillyard Drive intersection, north of Thursday's crash.
Anyone who may have witnessed the collision or have any information that could assist police to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via act.crimestoppers.com.au.
Information can be provided anonymously.
