Two terrifying near-misses in 30 seconds

DASHCAM footage shows how two cars came close to colliding head-on with oncoming traffic - in the space of just 30 seconds - over the holidays.

The short clip shows the vehicles trying to overtake on a country road near Cessnock in NSW and the terrified driver can be heard gasping and swearing as the overtaking vehicles speed towards her.

"He was not supposed to do that," she can be heard saying after the first car passes. "He came onto our side of the road."

It appears the car started to overtake when the broken line was on their side of the solid line, however a second car comes even closer and appears to cross the road's double lines just seconds later.

The footage was uploaded with the caption: "This is why I try to stay off the road during the holiday season ... Already way too many clips like this sent in this month."

The video comes as the death toll on Australia's roads over the holiday period climbs to shocking levels.

In Victoria, the state's road toll for 2017 reached 255 - after 12 people lost their lives on the state's roads over the festive period.

However, NSW had the worst figure in Australia - with 392 fatalities on its roads last year. Four people have died on the state's roads already this year.

Queensland's toll reached 248 people for 2017. Western Australia recorded 154 deaths on its roads last year, Northern Territory, 31, Tasmania, 24, and South Australia, 101.

Superintendent John Fitzpatrick, of Victoria's Road Policing Command, said drivers must realise there are risks when driving on country roads and acknowledge they have a role to play in making sure they get to their destinations safety.

"Speed, concentration, preparedness and tiredness should all be considerations when taking to our country roads," Superintendent Fitzpatrick said in a statement.

"Long stretches of road, comfortable cars and cruise control can lead to complacency. Motorists and riders must not only be mindful of their actions on the road but aware and ready to react in response to other road users' mistakes."