More than 650 offences were detected on Wyndham’s roads over the silly season.
Results from road policing operation, Operation Roadwise, reveal Westgate Highway Patrol nabbed 189 drivers using their mobile phone while behind the wheel during the 24-day operation, which started on December 15 and ran until January 7.
Police also detected 107 seatbelt offences, 84 speeding offences, 67 unlicensed drivers and 37 disqualified or suspended drivers behind the wheel, 40 drivers who disobeyed road signs or traffic lights, 34 drink drivers and four drug drivers. Twelve cars were also impounded during the operation.
Statewide, a total 31,293 offences were recorded as part of Operation Roadwise, with speeding accounting for a third of all offences.
Victoria Police Assistant Commission Doug Fryer said he was disappointed that six people had lost their life on our roads in the first week of 2018.
“To lose six people so early in the New Year is nothing short of tragic,” he said.
“That’s six families for which 2018 has become the worst year of their lives before it has barely started.”
RoadSafe Westgate’s annual report stated that 15 people were killed on the west’s roads and 895 people were injured – including 214 seriously injured – in 910 road collisions across the Westgate division in 2016-17.
Charlene Macaulay
