Rural death spike spurs warning on complacency

POLICE are determined to turn around a shocking start to the year on the roads with a statewide enforcement effort to be conducted over the Labour Day long weekend.

Commencing today, Victoria Police’s Operation Arid will run for four days with police targeting high-risk driving behaviour and non-compliance in an effort to reduce road trauma.

It comes as Victoria recorded 68 lives lost in the first 66 days of the year – 18 more than at the same time last year and a 45 per cent increase on the five-year average.

“We will have multiple units, including general duties officers, out every day with zero tolerance for low and high speeding offences, with drug and alcohol testing also ramped up across Bass Coast and South Gippsland,” a spokesperson for Bass Coat Highway Patrol stated.

“We are utilising marked and unmarked police vehicles including motorcycles.

“Be patient on our roads, there will be a high volume of road users and congestion over the long weekend – be patient and everyone will arrive at their destination safely.”

Police are especially concerned about a significant spike in lives lost on rural roads this year with 42 deaths since January - a 57 per cent increase on the five-year average.

Police say the concerning trend is being overwhelmingly caused by minor forms of non-compliance, rather than extreme driving behaviour. It suggests simple mistakes behind the wheel are leading to catastrophic consequences.

Speed, distraction, fatigue and not wearing a seatbelt are major contributors to single-vehicle fatal collisions. All such behaviours will be targeted during this weekend’s Operation Arid.

In addition to long weekend travel and rural roads, police will focus enforcement efforts on major events and music festivals taking place across the state. Extensive alcohol and drug testing will be conducted to prevent impaired driving.

Operation Arid commenced at 12:01am on Friday and concludes at 23:59pm on Monday.

For more information and tips for staying safe on the roads visit the Road Safety page on the Victoria Police website.