VICTORIA Police will stage a statewide day of action targeting speeding drivers tomorrow (Saturday, May 20) as part of National Road Safety Week.
The day of action will see highway patrol and general duties police across the state, with support of specialist road policing units, specifically tasked to detect speeding motorists in a 24-hour road safety blitz.
Excessive or inappropriate speed has been a suspected factor in at least 31 per cent of fatal collisions on Victorian roads this year.
During road safety operations last month coinciding with Easter and Anzac Day, police detected 3,285 speeding offences. A total of 68 per cent of drivers caught speeding were detected between 10km/h and 25km/h over the posted limit.
Motorists are being urged to slow down and pay attention to signed speed limits, particularly around built-up areas and roadworks zones.
Fatal collisions on high-speed rural roads have also been frequent this year, with the number of lives lost in Victoria climbing to 116, up 31 per cent on the same time last year.
The day has been initiated as part of National Road Safety Week, which runs until Sunday, May 21.
Assistant Commissioner Road Policing, Glenn Weir said police made no apologies for enforcing speed limits and penalising motorists who put themselves and other road users at risk.
“Speeding continues to be overrepresented in fatal and serious injury collisions, which is why we’re making speeding drivers our focus during National Road Safety Week,” he said.
“We ask all motorists to slow down and drive so others survive – it’s so simple yet could help prevent another tragedy.
“Sticking to the speed limit is something we can all do to help reduce trauma on our roads.”
The event was created by Peter Frazer of the Safer Australian Roads and Highways group after his 23-year-old daughter was in February 2012 tragically killed in a car crash.
Victoria Police encourages all road users to show their support for the initiative, which calls on motorists to “pledge to drive so others survive”.
For more information about National Road Safety Week, visit roadsafetyweek.com.au
For more information and tips for staying safe on the roads, visit the Road Safety page on the Victoria Police website.
