Chief Police Officer Neil Gaughan said the Commodore had been detected travelling at high speed and driven dangerously through several of Canberra's southern suburbs.

Police made several attempts to intercept the vehicle but the driver failed to stop on each occasion. No stop sticks were able to be deployed.

At 10.28pm as the car travelled south on the parkway at high speed, it collided with the concrete support structure of a large overhead gantry on the median strip, north of the Sulwood Drive intersection.

The structure impacted the driver's side door and caused extensive damage to the vehicle, with parts of the car scattered down the roadway.

Police were on the scene within minutes. ACT Fire and Rescue and ACT Ambulance also attended but the driver died in the vehicle.

The three others in the vehicle suffered what was described as "non-life threatening injuries".

"Due to the circumstances leading up the collision, it is being treated as an AFP critical incident and police actions prior to the collision will be examined and investigated," Deputy Commissioner Gaughan said.

"Members involved were subjected to drug and alcohol testing last night.

"All ACT members involved in the incident last night have been trained in the ACT's new operational driving philosophy training and we will continue to work with the Coroner in preparing a brief of evidence.

"The car was technically not under pursuit at any time, as far as well can tell."

It was the fifth road fatality in the ACT this year. Seven people died on ACT roads during the full calendar year of 2020.

Deputy Commissioner Gaughan said that this incident was a sobering reminder to all Canberrans, not just young people, that excessive speed is a major contributor to road trauma and puts other road users in danger.

"If people are going to treat the streets like a raceway, then tragically, inevitably, we are going to see tragic events like this take place," he said.

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