Police are calling on motorists to pay extra care and attention on the roads this month, with March considered to be the most dangerous period on Victorian roads.
The warning comes as police launch Operation Arid this Friday, a statewide road police effort targeting high-risk driving behaviour across the Labour Day long weekend in an effort to reduce road trauma.
While March is traditionally known in Victoria for a full calendar of major events, festivals, sports and entertainment, it is also synonymous with having the highest volume of road trauma in both metropolitan and regional Victoria.
Historically, March has the highest average injury collision volume of any month of the year, almost ten per cent higher than any other month.
Injury collisions in both metropolitan and regional Victoria have peaked in March over a five-year average.
Injury collisions where speed was a factor, where a motorcyclist or heavy vehicle was involved, and young drivers were involved also all peaked in March.
In 2024, there were 30 lives lost during in March, the second highest for the year behind November (36) and marking the worst March on record since 2011, with 34 lives lost.
“What we don’t want to see is another March with high numbers of injury collisions and fatalities, so we’ll be doing everything we can to ensure we don’t have a repeat of this,” said Road Policing Acting Assistant Commissioner, David Byrt.
“We need everyone to do their part, and our number one message is to stay alert behind the wheel and never be complacent – it can only take one second of distraction or a simple driving error for a collision to occur.”
Operation Arid begins at midnight on Friday, March 7 and concludes at midnight on Monday, March 10.
“We know this long weekend is a busy period for events and a popular time to travel, so we’re preparing for lots of Victorians hitting the roads over the coming days,” said Assistant Commissioner Byrt.
“We’ll be out in force across the state and doing our bit to ensure everyone is being safe, adhering to the road rules and not putting others at risk.”
