Blackburn Rd, Burwood Highway intersection near Kmart targeted

Uniformed police flooded this notoriously dangerous Whitehorse intersection, but that didn’t stop people breaking the law.

Police had a visible presence at the Burwood intersection.

Police pinged almost 30 people breaking the law at one of the busiest intersections in Whitehorse during a daytime operation.

Officers in fluoro vests yesterday surrounded the intersection of Burwood Highway and Blackburn Rd — a hot spot for road offences and incidents — to cut down on the number of pedestrians and motorists endangering themselves and others.

But Forest Hill police Acting Sergeant Mark Dunbabin said “unfortunately” police weren’t surprised to see people offending in their presence, and were only surprised they didn’t witness more.

Senior Constable Phil Gibby and Acting Sergeant Mark Dunbabin man the intersection.

The Whitehorse Leader saw an elderly man pushing a trolley across the busy highway against a red light — running from one corner, where three uniformed policeman were standing, across to where another two officers stood.

He was just one of 11 pedestrians who illegally ran across the road between 10am and 3.30pm with officers in plain sight, earning themselves an $83 jaywalking ticket.

Acting Sgt Dunbabin said people’s lack of awareness of their surroundings — including police waiting to catch them — was what officers were trying to highlight.

“People get distracted by either the clock or what’s going on in their life and they focus on where they’re going and not what’s around them.”

The intersection is one of Whitehorse’s worst for road offences.

He said pedestrians were likely to be similarly unaware of approaching vehicles and dangers.

“The road should be your first priority when you’re crossing it,” he said.

Officers also targeted drivers, detecting 19 road offences.

He said police caught as many as 15 drivers using their phones at the intersection — and they were only targeting one side of one of the roads.

One driver collared for using her phone was also found to be a learner driver, travelling solo without any L-plates.

The intersection is just outside Burwood One shopping centre.

Another driver was pulled up for not having a child safely restrained in a seat belt.

But Acting Sgt Dunbabin said he had expected to detect more offences.

He said the high police presence had served its purpose by deterring potential offenders, and would hopefully provoke a change in their behaviour on the road.

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“It’s as much about enforcement as education,” he said.

The intersection, just outside Burwood One shopping centre and not far from Deakin University, was a known “a collision black spot”.

Acting Sgt Dunbabin said police also spoke to pedestrians in the shopping centre’s carpark to educate them, with many not being mindful of stepping into the path of vehicles.