Grieving family urges Victorians to drive safely as Easter holiday period looms
The family of a man killed in a fiery crash in Victoria’s west have begged drivers to be careful, saying his death was “not an accident” as Victoria Police prepares for an Easter road safety blitz.
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The family of a man who was killed in a fiery crash in Victoria’s west is pleading with drivers to be safe on the roads over the Easter period.
Twenty-three-year-old Adrian Phipps was in a Jeep with two mates when the driver, 19-year-old Courtney Mitcham, lost control of the car and ploughed into a tree in Terang in 2022.
Mr Phipps could not escape the burning wreck and died at the scene.
His mother Jane Phipps said her son’s death could have been avoided.
“It wasn’t an accident as far as I’m concerned. It was totally avoidable and shouldn’t have happened,” she said.
Wiping away tears, Ms Phipps urged Victorians, particularly those in rural areas, to plan their way home and accept rides from drivers they trusted.
“My biggest message with Adrian is make sure you know your driver well,” she said.
“No parent should have to bury their child.
“Not a day goes by that we don’t think of him, where he would be now.”
Mitcham, who was drink-driving during the crash, was sentenced to a minimum of four years over the fatal crash.
“She didn’t have respect for the law because she drove drunk and that’s what ultimately cost my son his life,” Ms Phipps said.
“(It’s) something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.”
Mrs Phipps remembered her son, an apprentice welder, as an “energetic and fun-loving, caring person” who loved helping people.
Just days after admitting to being caught speeding on the job, Road Policing Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir lashed “numbskull” behaviour police were seeing on the roads in recent weeks.
“We have seen really unacceptable levels of alcohol and drugs impairment and use on the roads and it is causing significant trauma,” he said.
“It’s mind-boggling that people would take the risk in this day and age to think that they can drive over the prescribed concentration of alcohol or after having used illicit drugs and think they can get away with it.”
Operation Nexus will target dangerous driving across the state over Easter, between midnight on Thursday and April 1.
Mr Weir said having to repeatedly warn people against drunk or drug driving each year, particularly over holiday periods, was frustrating because drivers continued to put others at risk.
“It is still really concerning, frustrating and almost unbelievable that despite the years of education enforcement that we’ve had, that people are still making the same choices because they are choices that people make to put themselves and others at risk,” he said.
“A lot of it is down to risk taking behaviour and of course alcohol makes people think that they are capable of doing things that they are not capable of, or they shouldn’t be capable, or it increases their ability to take risks or their self confidence to take risks.”
New police intelligence revealed a recent spike in drivers getting behind the wheel while drunk or on drugs.
Ninety-five drivers had drugs or illegal alcohol levels in their systems during a Monash Fwy blitz in February.
During a two-night operation on the EastLink Fwy, 148 drivers were drunk or drug-driving.
Usually, one in 400 drivers are detected with high levels of drugs or alcohol in their systems.
The warnings come after a mobile camera Detected Mr Weir driving 58km/h in a 50km/h zone in Parkville on February 29.
Mr Weir said his recent mistake served as a timely reminder to be careful on the road.
“Moments of inattention can have really significant impacts and I was fortunate that it didn’t have an impact in terms of a collision or anything like that,” he said.
Mr Weir lost a demerit point, copped a $337 fine, but escaped an official warning.
“I take full responsibility for this error and am mortified it has occurred,” he said on Monday.
“No matter how far over the limit, all speeding is unacceptable.
“For someone in my position this is especially true.
“I am truly sorry.”
Police Minister Anthony Carbines said Easter was a notoriously dangerous time on Victorian roads.
“We just plea for all Victorians to do the basics well — wear your seat belt, put your devices away and drive the vehicle,” he said.
“We just ask everyone again to take their time, to concentrate and pull over if fatigued.”
Sixty-seven people have been killed on Victoria’s road this year so far after a horror start to 2024, which included the deaths of several children.
On New Year’s Day, a 31-year-old Bonbeach man died after crashing his car into a power pole in Bayswater North.
12-year-old Mia Rossiter was killed when 28-year-old Jordan Kenyon disqualified driver hit the car her family was travelling in near Geeling.
On January 5, a 9-year-old boy died in a collision in Coldstream.
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