Police respond to five crashes in one morning on Nillumbik and Banyule roads
Traffic came to a grinding halt in Nillumbik and Banyule as emergency services dealt with five separate crashes in a single morning — it comes ahead of what police are anticipating as one of their busiest Easter periods.
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Police are issuing a stern reminder to drivers ahead of the cooler months after five separate crashes on Nillumbik and Banyule roads in wet weather on Wednesday morning.
Traffic came to a standstill in Eltham after a P-plater lost control and slammed into a power pole on Fitzsimons Lane about 10am.
The 18-year-old from Montmorency was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, with police unable to confirm the extent of his injuries.
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At the same time emergency services rushed to the aid of a Clayton woman, 63, who was taken to the Austin Hospital with minor injuries after a three-vehicle pileup in Greensborough.
Senior Sergeant John Henderson said a car was doing a U-turn on Grimshaw St, opposite Greensborough police station, when it was hit by another vehicle.
Sen-Sgt Henderson urged drivers not to be complacent in wet weather.
“We’ve had some rain overnight and throughout the morning after some time without any rain and this has played a role in this morning’s incidents,” he said.
“People need to slow down and drive to the conditions.
“It’s school holidays which means a lot less traffic on the roads, so there should be a lot less incidents.”
The warning comes ahead of what police are anticipating to be one of their busiest Easter Mondays, with Anzac Day only three days after.
Greensborough highway patrol Acting Senior Sergeant Ashley Hodges said police will ramp up patrols in an effort to stabilise this year’s alarming road toll.
Operation Nexus will be targeting speed, fatigue, impaired driving, distraction offences and seatbelt compliance from April 18-22.
At the same time Operation Kinetik, which involves an additional 64 shifts tasked to officers in Nillumbik, will combat road trauma along thoroughfares where the speed is at or in excess of 80km/h.
“This year’s road toll is pretty bad and we don’t want to see that jump over the Easter period or any other period,” Snr-Sgt Hodges said.
“Driving is a privilege and we need drivers to understand their actions not only affect themselves and their families but a whole network of different people.
“We will have a visible police presence but drivers also need to take responsibility and to think about trauma, the affect it has on yourself, your family, others and their families and emergency services.”
A total of 90 lives have been lost on Victorian roads in 2019 as of 12am on April 8, compared to 58 at the same time last year.
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