One of the victims, Jennifer Chapman, remained in hospital last night. Her family provided The Age with a picture that clearly shows her pain. Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon said earlier today as long as all of the car's seatbelts were being used, overloading the vehicle with people was not a crime. "No, it's not an offence,'' she told Radio 3AW. WATCH VIDEO OF THE TAC'S LATEST CAMPAIGN "It's a matter for the driver to see whether they can drive properly.

"In fact it's the number of seat belts. I think it's four or something in this car, and if those people had the seatbelts on, no, it's not an offence. "It's just the technical part of the law. But RACV's general manager of public policy, Brian Negus, told The Age having eight people in a car that seated four was totally unacceptable. "It defies belief that you could fit eight people into this small car." SERGEANT BRAD PETERS, MAJOR COLLISION INVESTIGATION UNIT "And even if the four seats were able to be used and that's probably even some doubt and given eight people crammed in there, how do you get lap-sash seatbelts on?" he asked.

''And apart from anything else, you've got four people in the car not wearing seatbelts and if it's not illegal then the Government

should move to change that,'' Mr Negus said. Mr Negus said the RACV strongly discouraged overloading and occupants in vehicles going without seatbelts. "The clear evidence that we have shows that multiple passengers travelling with inexperienced drivers is a recipe for a crash. "In fact, if you look at P-plate statistics, the evidence we have clearly shows first-year P-platers with more than one passenger are between three and four times more likely to have a crash,'' Mr Negus said. Roads Minister Tim Pallas said the national road rules were being reviewed.

"Revisions to the national road rules are already under way that will prohibit passengers from vehicles without wearing a seatbelt. We will work to have these seatbelt laws introduced in Victoria as soon as possible,'' Mr Pallas said. "I urge all motorists to use their common sense and take responsibility for their own safety and the safety of their passengers." Four of the car's occupants in this morning's crash were trapped and needed to be cut free after it crossed a median strip and smashed into a light pole on a service road. With paramedic services stretched, police officer Senior Constable Kate Robinson was forced to drive an ambulance to hospital as paramedics fought to keep alive the critically injured driver. "I think there was eight (ambulances) and there were people coming from everywhere, because all the eight people were sent away to different hospitals,'' Senior Constable Robinson told Radio 3AW.

"Eventually, I was required to drive the ambulance back whilst two of the ambulance members worked on the driver'', she said. Two of the car's passengers, including a 25-year-old man, also received critical injuries while another suffered serious injuries and was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Four others are in a serious but stable condition, with two taken to the Dandenong Hospital and two to the Monash Medical Centre. Paramedic team manager Phillip Campbell said when they arrived at the crash scene all power had been cut and at first they could only locate six people in the dark. Two others appeared a short time later.

Two women, aged about 18, had to be sedated and breathing tubes inserted into their lungs. The crash comes just a day after a new advertisement launch by the TAC showing graphic scenes of car crashes that have killed young people. The major collision investigation unit is investigating whether speed played a role in the crash. Sergeant Brad Peters was astounded to discover there were eight people in the car. "It defies belief that you could fit eight people into this small car," Sergeant Peters said.

"This type of crash could have had a more tragic result and I am amazed that we're not telling eight sets of parents their kids have all been killed." Sergeant Peters said police were still trying to identify some of the car's occupants. Loading The Princes Highway has now re-opened to traffic. with Larissa Ham and AAP