IN just over 48 hours since Victoria Police launched Operation Scoreboard across the state at 12:01am on Wednesday, south west Victoria police has already reported 124 driving offences.
Warrnambool Police, Senior Sergeant Matt Wheeler said it was an extremely disappointing result recorded in such a short amount of time across the Western Region Division 2, which incorporates Corangamite, Moyne, Warrnambool, Southern Grampians and Glenelg Shires.
“People aren’t getting the message,” he said.
“From the 124 offences recorded since Wednesday, 11 were impaired drivers, of which six were drug affected and five alcohol impaired, with a total of 2000 motorists breath tested in that time.
“We have had a number of fatalities on the roads across the south west this year, where alcohol is suspected to be the cause.
“We’re really ramping up our efforts to target impaired driving.
“We’re also targeting speeding vehicles on high-risk rural roads.”
Victoria Police have also increased its focus across the state on motorcycle safety over the long weekend to reduce rider deaths from reaching a record five-year high.
This will coincide with the annual state-wide road policing effort, Operation Scoreboard, held every year on the long weekend of the AFL Grand Final to targeting speeding and distracted drivers heading out to regional areas on high-risk rural roads and highways.
Operation Scoreboard will run until 11:59pm tomorrow night.
Overall, fatalities on rural roads have increased by 18 for the year up to midnight on September 20 – from 84 for the same period in 2021, to 102 this year – an increase of 21 per cent.
Police are also warning Victorians celebrating the AFL Grand Final that there will be zero tolerance for drink or drug driving, and all motorists should expect to be tested while out on the roads this weekend.
Motorcyclist deaths are a particular focus this year because there have been 38 fatalities, trending well above the five-year average of 27 and on track to exceed the highest number fatalities recorded in the last five years (44 in 2019).
Speed has been cited as a factor in at least 20 motorcycle fatalities this year, with half of the deceased riders under the age of 35.
Police will utilise automatic numberplate recognition technology to detect unauthorised motorists, with almost half of deceased motorcyclists either unlicensed, suspended or disqualified from riding a motorcycle.
The operation was extended to include the additional National Day of Mourning public holiday on Thursday, given many motorists were expected to take advantage of the four-day long weekend across Victoria.
Victoria has already recorded 182 lives lost this year as of midnight on September 20 – 21 higher than for the same period in 2021 (158) and trending well above the five-year average of 167.
Despite Covid restrictions, last year police managed to detect over 2000 traffic offences during Operation Scoreboard – with speeding the most common offence, as well as almost 200 drink and drug driving detections.
Road Policing assistant commissioner, Glenn Weir, said more motorcycles on Victorian roads has led to an increase in motorcycle trauma in 2022.
“We believe that rising fuel costs, increasing prices of cars and public transport avoidance are all factors that have led to an increase in motorcycle riding,” he said.
“Concerningly for police, October to December is historically one of the highest-risk periods for motorcycle trauma, however we are already trending well above previous years.
“During Operation Scoreboard, police will be keeping a close eye out for motorcyclists engaging in risky behaviour, particularly speeding, which has contributed to more than half of rider deaths this year.
Assistant Commissioner Weir said police will also be conducting extensive alcohol and drug testing over the Grand Final weekend in Melbourne after a two-year hiatus.
“Please take extra care as you travel across the state over the weekend – we’ve seen far too many tragic, yet completely avoidable fatal collisions this year,” he said.
