More than 100 motorists have been caught speeding in the Horsham police service area in the first two weeks of Victoria Police’s summer holiday road safety blitz.
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Officers attached to Operation Roadwise had issued 105 speeding infringements, caught six drink drivers, 10 drug drivers and eight motorists driving unregistered vehicles since the operation started at midnight on December 14.
Police have also nabbed five unlicensed drivers and four for using their phone behind the wheel, while three have been charged for not wearing a seatbelt, another three for disobeying road signs or signals, and one for driving while disqualified or suspended.
Earlier this afternoon, Victoria Police’s head of road policing operations Superintendent John Fitzpatrick said officers would increase their presence on roads across the state heading into the New Year period.
“If you’ve been out late the night before your trip or you’ve been drinking then don’t leave early in the morning,” he said.
“It’s not uncommon to pull over people who are above the legal alcohol limit because of the amount they consumed the night before.
“This is not about police being party poopers. We want everyone to have an enjoyable time over the summer, but we’re even keener to see everyone get to where they’re going and get home again safely.”
Operation Roadwise targets the five leading causes of road trauma: impairment, speed, distraction, failure to wear restraints and fatigue. It runs until midnight on January 6.
Statewide, 536 drink drive offences have been issued from 216,187 tests since the operation started – one offence for every 400 tests.
One in every 10 motorists who has undergone a drug test has been charged, a total of 477 people overall.
Nine people have died on roads across Victoria since the operation started, compared with 25 in last year’s entire festive season operation . The road toll for the year in Victoria stands at 210, 44 less than in 2017.
Alexander Darling
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
