Maroondah police want to stamp out pedestrian crashes at Ringwood’s Eastland
Police say phones and other distractions are to blame for a high number of pedestrian incidents at one of Melbourne’s biggest shopping centres — and they’ve had enough.
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Police are cracking down on pedestrian safety at one of Melbourne’s biggest shopping centres.
According to police data, 25 pedestrians have been involved collisions with cars in and around Eastland this year – with 18 collisions during daylight hours.
Sixty-three pedestrians were involved in collisions around the centre between January and October 2018.
This year’s tally included the death of Jackson Crocaris, 14, who was killed when he was hit by a car as he crossed the Ringwood Bypass in July.
According to police data, two people have been seriously injured and there has been 22 other non-injury related collisions.
The collisions occurred on Ringwood St (9), Maroondah Highway (4), Ringwood Bypass (4), Warrandyte Rd (2) and in the centre’s carparks (5).
Maroondah’s newly appointed crime prevention officer, Leading Senior Constable Martin Buzzell, said he wanted to stamp out pedestrian incidents through various education methods.
Leading Sen-Constable Buzzell said the Maroondah Highway pedestrian crossing between Ringwood Station and Ringwood Town Square was a hotspot as youths often gathered at the station’s entrance.
“When they are crossing the highway, they are not looking and they are getting hit by cars because they’re distracted by their mobile phones,” he said.
“It is not the sole responsibility of the car driver to watch pedestrians — pedestrians have to be responsible for their own wellbeing as well.”
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Leading Sen-Constable Buzzell said he planned to meet with Eastland management this week to “discuss strategies to combat the issue”.
Eastland general manager Greg Balmforth said the centre worked closely with police on a range of initiatives and would support them with any pedestrian safety education programs.
Maroondah highway patrol ran Operation Safe Ped on roads surrounding Eastland from 10am-8pm on October 11.
Sergeant Michael Aston said officers fined 11 people $83 for jaywalking and 10 drivers $496 for using their phones while driving.
Sgt Aston said the results were “disgraceful” and officers would do similar patrols in summer.
He said officers were discussing pedestrian safety strategies with VicRoads and Maroondah Council.
“This is not a police enforcement responsibility, it’s a whole of community responsibility,” Sgt Aston said.