Victoria police target dangerous drivers over Australia Day

The number of suspended, disqualified and unlicensed drivers caught on Victorian roads has surged as the state’s road toll soars.

Victorian police will launch Operation Amity on Wednesday. Picture: Daniel Pockett

A record number of suspended, disqualified and unlicensed drivers are being caught flouting the law on Victorian roads, according to the state’s top road cop.

Unauthorised drivers are also increasingly involved in fatal collisions, new road safety data reveals.

Victoria’s road toll is at 24 for 2023, up 33 per cent on this time in 2022, which is posing as a major concern for the force at the start of the year.

Police will stop and inspect drivers over the unofficial Australia Day long weekend. Picture: Daniel Pockett

Assistant Commissioner for Road Policing, Glenn Weir, said police would be out in force over the coming unofficial long weekend.

“We will be merciless in trying to weed these people off the roads,” Mr Weir told the Herald Sun.

“If people want to run the gauntlet, they will pay the price. Twenty four people dead on our roads is unacceptable.”

During the recent Christmas and New Year road policing operation, Victoria Police caught 1021 unauthorised drivers – an increase of 33 per cent on the previous year’s figures.

And in 2022, one in 10 fatal collisions involved an unauthorised driver.

“That is a significant rise,” Mr Weir said.

He said police would continue to us automatic number plate recognition technology in more than 230 vehicles across Victoria.

Previously only used in highway patrol vehicles, the technology has recently been installed in cars belonging to the crime-busting Viper taskforce and public order response team as part of a trial.

“Our ANPR technology gives us another set of eyes on the roads to stop these drivers in their tracks,” Mr Weir said.

“Our capability to detect and enforce against unauthorised drivers and motorcyclists has never been greater.

“These drivers have no right to be on our roads and pose a significant risk, not only to themselves but to all road users.”

Mr Weir said it was possible to attribute the record rate of unlicensed drivers being caught to the increase in ANPR capability, which has the ability to scan 76 million number plates a year.

He said soon-to-be installed distracted driver cameras, which will be operated by the Department of Justice, would also help to make Victorian roads safer.

Victoria Police will launch its dedicated road policing operation, called Amity, on Wednesday over the unofficial Australia Day long weekend.