Hold your horses and lighten up on the accelerator this Melbourne Cup long weekend.
That’s the message from Westgate Highway Patrol, which will be targeting speedsters, distracted drivers and alcohol and drug affected drivers as part of Operation Furlong.
Police will be out in force between November 3-7 across Wyndham, Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay to crack down on the major causes of fatal and serious injury crashes, with fatigue and failure to wear a seatbelt also of concern.
Sergeant Marty Wallace from Westgate Highway Patrol said all available personnel from the highway patrol, local general duties and other regional resources would be on hand for the operation.
“The aim … will be to provide a highly visible and mobile police presence to reinforce positive driving behaviours and lessen the incidence of road trauma,” he said.
“Impaired driving will be a particular focus with police testing drivers for alcohol and illicit drugs in high visibility locations.”
Fifteen people were killed on the west’s roads in the past financial year and a further 895 people were injured, including 214 seriously injured.
Despite a 17 per cent drop in Wyndham collisions in the 12 months to June 30 this year, higher numbers in Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay mean the area’s road toll remained on par with the figures of 2015-16, when 16 people were killed and 913 injured.
