One in 10 drivers caught speeding over the Labour Day long weekend were travelling at more than 25km/h over the posted limit.
A concerning number of drink drivers and motorists failing to wear their seatbelt were also detected during Operation Arid.
The statewide effort, which concluded yesterday, comes amid a high-danger month for road trauma.
Five deaths were recorded over the four days of the operation, the latest a 15-year-old boy struck riding his bike at Knoxfield.
Three deaths occurred in single vehicle collisions on rural roads, a trend which has been of particular concern to police this year.
Victoria Police data shows 2843 speeding drivers were detected during Operation Arid, with 369 travelling at more than 25km/h above the limit. A further 2161 drivers were travelling between 10km/h and 25km/h above the posted speed.
Statewide 203 drink drivers were detected from 76,060 preliminary breath tests, a strike rate of one in 375. A total 52 drivers caught shouldn’t have had any alcohol in their system at all.
There were 166 drug drivers detected from 3115 tests, a strike rate of one in 19.
The number of motorists failing to wear a seat belt or not wearing one properly continues to astound police, with 117 offences detected.
Their importance couldn’t be more profound, with seatbelts not worn in two fatalities recorded over the long weekend. These occurred at Picola and Longwarry.
Almost 400 drivers shouldn’t have been on the road because they were either unlicensed, disqualified or suspended from getting behind the wheel.
A total 6488 traffic offences were recorded across Operation Arid, comprising:
• 184 Disqualified/suspended drivers
• 204 Unlicensed drivers
• 532 Unregistered vehicles
• 2843 Speeding offences
• 185 Mobile phone offences
• 399 Disobey signs/signals
• 109 Vehicle impounds; and
• 117 Seatbelt offences.
Victoria Police is reminding motorists officers can be out anywhere, anytime having last week launched a new awareness campaign with the Transport Accident Commission.
The ongoing presence includes both marked and unmarked police vehicles.
So far this year 57 people have died on Victoria’s roads compared with 69 at the same time last year.
Quotes attributable to Road Policing Acting Assistant Commissioner, John Fitzpatrick:
“The number of drivers we’ve seen speeding this long weekend is simply unacceptable.
“To think so many people were driving at extreme speeds is even more worrying.
“At high speed there’s little room for error and the consequences of a mistake are magnified.
“To put it bluntly, it’s a recipe for disaster.
“We’re also seeing too many people getting behind the wheel when they shouldn’t – be it for drinking, taking drugs or not having a licence.
“To find so many people driving around without a seatbelt is mindboggling. A seatbelt can’t save you if you’re not wearing it.
“These results should serve as a wake-up call to anyone doing the wrong thing on our roads.
“Police aren’t just out in holiday periods. We can be out anywhere, anytime, stopping anyone.”
