The accident happened about seven kilometres south of the Denman Road intersection.

Police said the man was driving south along the road before losing control and crashing into a tree.

The impact of the collision forced the Ssangyong four-wheel drive to spin and roll on its side.

Passers-by notified police of the accident about 4.35am.

When emergency services attended the scene the man was found dead inside the vehicle.

Police do not know the cause or the exact time of the accident and are asking witnesses to come forward.

“Police are asking assistance from any members of the public that could assist to contact the Hunter Valley Local Area Command or Crime Stoppers,” Inspector Bill Langdon said.

The victim’s name has not yet been released.

Edderton Road was closed for most of the day following the accident for police investigations and removal of the vehicle.

The fatality is not the first to happen along the 15-kilometre stretch of road, which has been notoriously bad for accidents in the past.

Last August, a 22-year-old man was also killed in a single vehicle accident on the road.

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Another two crashes on the road were reported to police last year.

Muswellbrook Shire Councillor Ray Butchard said in the past he had asked for a section of the road to be repaired but also said drivers had to be particularly careful while driving along the road.

Cr Butchard said the road was built prior to mine expansion in the area and was never designed for the volume of traffic it now receives.

“Edderton Road is a back, rural road and people do need to take care,” Cr Butchard said.

“There have been quite a few accidents over its time, but it didn’t expect to take the level of traffic that it does now due to mining operations in the area.

He also added that any future plans for the council to upgrade the road were subject to proposed expansions of the Mt Arthur site.

“There was a proposal from BHP to close part of Edderton Road and move it as part of its underground mining,” he said.

“[But] I believe they have moved away from that for the time being.

“I would imagine though that council would be reluctant to spend any large sum of shire money until we receive further notice from the mines.”

Reducing the speed limit along the road has also been looked into.