Police operation to make sure no empty chairs at Christmas

State Highway Patrol police swarmed local roads over the weekend, embarking on a major traffic operation to reduce fatalities and serious injury collisions.

More than 150 people were nabbed for speeding offences in the first weekend of a police operation spreading across Baw Baw and Latrobe police service areas.

There have been eight fatalities recorded on Baw Baw roads this year, four times the number recorded last year.

It is the highest number of fatalities in the region since 2013 when six people died on local roads.

Baw Baw highway patrol sergeant Andrew Milbourne said the targeted operation was aimed at reducing the growing number of fatalities and serious injury collisions across Baw Baw and Latrobe police areas.

“We want to make sure there are no empty chairs at the Christmas table this year,” he said.

There was a significant police presence on local roads beginning on Friday and continuing with designated alcohol and drug testing stations at Warragul and Trafalgar on Friday night and Saturday.

More than 3700 preliminary breath tests were conducted.  Eight drivers were charged with drink driving and 18 drivers recorded drugs in their system.

Police also issued fines to 12 drivers not wearing seatbelts, 11 drivers using their mobile phones and 14 unlicensed or disqualified drivers.

Sgt Milbourne said there had been eight fatalities on Baw Baw roads and 60 serious injury collisions.

He said police were targeting the two municipalities with a special joint operation between state and local highway patrol police.

Speed, alcohol and drug impaired driving, fatigue and distractions will be targeted.

More than 350 offences were detected by police in the Baw Baw and Latrobe police services areas during the recent Operation Compass conducted over two consecutive weekends in October and November.

Police will utilise its alcohol and drug testing vehicles to conduct high-volume alcohol and drug testing.

Sgt Milbourne said motorists needed to be aware that police vehicles also have the capability to conduct alcohol and drug testing at any time.

He said there will be a focus on tourist travellers as visitors continue to flock to regional Victoria following the recent easing of travel restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne.

Sgt Milbourne said one of the biggest issues was people’s driving skills had dropped during COVID lockdowns and they were coming out to open regional roads and making mistakes.

Police also will focus on commuting and recreational motorcyclists, with data indicating that the October to December period was the highest risk period for motorcycle trauma collisions.

He said the police solo unit would try to intercept motorcyclists coming into the area to educate them about safe on and off-road riding.

“October to December is a particularly high-risk period across Victorian roads – we experience increased travel across the state, particularly over weekends in regional Victoria, due to favourable weather conditions and extended daylight savings hours.

“We also see an increase in social events involving alcohol and drugs, and vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists) are more active.

“We want people to plan ahead and make sure you have a way of getting home because we will have a really heavy focus on alcohol and drug testing,” Sgt Milbourne said.