- Minister for Police and Emergency Services
Easter holiday makers are reminded to stop, revive, survive this long weekend as road safety agencies join forces to drive down deaths and trauma on Victoria’s roads.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services Lisa Neville today joined Minister for Roads, Road Safety and the TAC Jaala Pulford with road safety partners to launch this year’s Easter long weekend road safety blitz.
The number of lives lost on Victorian roads this year is already 96, 38 more than the same time last year.
Twenty-seven Driver Reviver sites will be set up across Victoria to combat fatigue, including along our busiest routes to holiday hotspots.
VICSES volunteers will be offering free hot drinks and snacks to encourage drivers to take a break and make sure they arrive safely at their destination.
Around one in five fatal crashes in Victoria is related to fatigue and it plays a role in almost one in three fatal single-vehicle crashes in rural areas.
Victoria Police’s Operation Nexus will also target fatigue, along with speed, drink and drug driving, distraction and seatbelt compliance. All available police resources will hit the roads to target dangerous drivers, including local road policing units, general duties officers and other regional resources.
Police have identified several priority areas including traffic corridors that link metropolitan areas to popular holiday destinations such as the Grampians, Surf Coast, Great Ocean Road, Greater Shepparton area, Phillip Island, Bass Coast, South Gippsland, Baw Baw and Latrobe Valley.
Operation Nexus is already underway and will finish at 11.59pm on Monday 22 April 2019.
As noted by Minister for Police and Emergency Services Lisa Neville
“We’ve already seen a devastating number of lives lost on our roads this year. The number isn’t just a statistic – it reflects the number of people who won’t be spending Easter with their families this year.”
“Our police and emergency services will be out in force doing what they can to keep everyone safe this long weekend, but motorists have the biggest role to play on our roads.”
As noted by Minister for Roads, Road Safety and the TAC Jaala Pulford
“We need drivers to be rested and prepared for their journey before they get behind the wheel. Once they’re in the driver’s seat, take rest breaks at least every two hours, share driving where possible and stay alert.”
“One life lost is one too many – and that’s why we’re continuing our unprecedented investment through our Towards Zero strategy and road safety upgrades across Victoria.”
