A woman was killed on Tuesday morning when she was hit by a luxury SUV as she crossed a busy freeway near Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal paramedics said.

She and her husband were crossing the M13 westbound carriageway at the foot of Fields Hill, Netcare 911 spokesperson Jeff Wicks said in a statement.

"It is thought that the two had braved traffic and attempted to cross the busy motorway. The man managed to make it through and when his wife was in the middle of the roadway she was struck by a BMW X5."

She was dragged over 80m before the car stopped. She suffered polytraumatic injuries and paramedics declared her dead on the scene. Her husband received counselling.

Traffic was affected on the carriageway while emergency services cleared the scene.