Victoria Police crack down on drivers in March to prevent road fatalities
It’s been a terrible start to the year on our roads, with March traditionally the deadliest month. Here’s how the cops plan to save lives.
Melbourne City
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Police are cracking down on dangerous drivers as part of a month-long blitz to drive down the road toll after a horror start to the year.
The latest police figures show March is the worst time of the year for road trauma, with 25 lives lost over the month in 2021.
Alarmingly, serious and fatal crashes across regional Victoria and Melbourne have both peaked in March over the past five years – which is believed to be due to the many major social events spread throughout the month.
Since the beginning of the year, 48 people have died on the state’s roads.
There has also been a worrying spike in motorcycle deaths, with fatalities doubling compared with the previous 12 months.
Speeding, drink and drug driving, fatigue and motorists not wearing seatbelts were the biggest causes — and will be focused on during the statewide effort.
Victoria Police will on Tuesday launch Operation Engage, with officers targeting priority areas to help prevent the state from recording another tragic March.
Cops will also blitz the Labour Day long-weekend as families flock to the regions.
More than 60 per cent of people killed on Victoria’s roads this year have been in rural areas.
Assistant Commissioner Road Policing Glenn Weir said motorists can expect to see police out in force.
“March is becoming synonymous with road trauma and it’s about time we changed that — it’s completely unacceptable,” he said.
“With such a terrible start to the year on our roads, we’re really ramping up our focus on road safety this month.”
Motorcycle riders are being warned to take extra care on the road this month, as collisions involving bikes also peak.
Truckies have also been put on notice and will be subject to random compliance checks throughout the month.
The number of road fatalities in March 2021 was the second worst month of the year, after 28 deaths were recorded in November.
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