THE number of lives lost on Victoria’s roads has reached a 15-year high after a tragic Melbourne Cup long weekend which claimed 13 lives.
There have been 251 lives lost on Victorian roads to date, the highest since 2008 when 256 lives were lost at the same point of the year.
It also surpasses the entirety of last year’s 241 lives lost.
Saturday saw seven lives lost in seven separate collisions, with Sunday’s Daylesford tragedy adding a further five lives lost.
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Man dies in hospital following car crash in Cowes
A 77-year-old man has died in hospital following a car crash in Cowes on October 31.
It is believed a white utility was travelling along Thompson Avenue near Cowes-Rhyll Road when the driver lost control and crashed into a tree about 11am.
The driver, a Cowes man was taken to hospital where he died on Sunday evening.
Police will prepare a report for the coroner.
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Police investigate fatal crash in Grand Ridge
Police will prepare a report for coroner following a fatal crash in Grand Ridge on Tuesday, November 7.
It’s understood a branch fell onto an open-top moving car, driving in a northerly direction on Grand Ridge Road about 11.45am.
The car came to rest in light scrub. Sadly, the driver died at the scene.
The only passenger was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries.
Anyone who witnessed the incident, has dashcam/CCTV footage or with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or log onto crimestoppers.com.au.
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Horror Cup weekend on Victorian roads
Fatalities that occurred on Victorian roads between 12:01am Friday November 3 and 11:59pm Tuesday November 7 included:
• Friday November 3, 8.30am at Serpentine – an 18-year-old Deniliquin man died when the ute he was driving crashed into a tree.
• Saturday November 4, 1am at Mt Waverley – a 20-year-old Notting Hill male pedestrian died in hospital after a car struck him on the Monash Freeway.
• Saturday, 5am at Cabarita – an unidentified driver died when their car crashed into a tree.
• Saturday, 6.45am at Clunes – a 47-year-old man from Maryborough died when his ute left the road and crashed into a creek.
• Saturday, 9:30am at Oakleigh East – a 37-year-old Endeavour Hills male cyclist located deceased on side of road on Franklyn Street.
• Saturday, 2.25pm at Glenrowan – a 22-year-old Springvale male pedestrian died when a truck struck him on the Hume Freeway.
• Saturday, 4pm at Euroa – an 18-year-old Shepparton woman died when the car she was driving crashed into a tree.
• Saturday , 4.45pm at Beaconsfield Upper – a 37-year-old Clayton man riding a motorcycle died when his bike crashed down an embankment.
• Sunday November 5, 6.05pm at Daylesford – a 38-year-old Tarneit man and his 11-year-old son, a 30-year-old Point Cook man and his partner, a 44-year-old Point Cook woman and the woman’s 9-year-old daughter died when a vehicle struck them while dining at the front of a hotel.
The horror weekend comes as police detected 8,373 offences during Operation Furlong over the same period.
The five-day, statewide road policing operation saw police targeting high risk driving behaviour, with a particular focus on impaired and speeding drivers.
Police detected 287 drink driving offences from 142,017 preliminary breath tests – a strike rate of one in 495 drivers caught over the limit.
A further 176 drug driving offences were detected from 3322 roadside drug tests.
The total 8373 offences detected during Operation Furlong included:
• 3246 speeding offences
• 800 unregistered vehicles
• 533 disqualified/suspended and unlicenced drivers
• 439 disobey signs/signals
• 392 mobile phone offences
• 287 drink driving offences from 142,017 preliminary breath tests
• 213 seatbelt offences
• 176 drug driving offences from 3,322 roadside drug tests; and
• 175 vehicle impoundments
Operation Furlong was conducted from 12:01am Friday November 3 to 11:59pm Tuesday November 7.