Police launch statewide traffic blitz to combat Victoria’a climbing road toll

An alarming number of people have been killed on Victorian country roads this year, with worrying increases reported year-on-year.

An alarming number of people have been killed on Victorian country roads so far this year with 98 lives lost, 23 more than the same time last year.

Police have announced a statewide road policing blitz across the extended long weekend and will also target speeding and distracted drivers heading out to regional areas on high-risk rural roads and highways across the current school holidays.

According to Transport Accident Commission data, Victoria’s overall road toll has increased by 15 per cent in 2022, with 175 deaths compared to 152 at this time last year.

TAC chief executive officer Joe Calafiore speaks to the media during a press conference in Melbourne. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Daniel Pockett

The 31 per cent increase on rural roads in 2022 is 10 more deaths than the five-year regional average of 88, and 21 more people have died on rural roads than the 77 in Melbourne.

Of the 175 killed in Victoria so far this year, 77 were drivers and 20 passengers.

Seven cyclists have been killed, a 17 per cent increase, and 34 pedestrians, a 70 per cent lift on last year’s number.

A key focus of Operation Scoreboard, which is timed to coincide with the AFL Grand Final long weekend and Thursday’s National Day of Mourning, will focus on motorcycle safety

with the current number of 38 deaths on track to exceed the five-year high of 44 in 2019.

A Victoria Police spokesperson said speed was a factor in at least 20 of the motorcyclist fatalities, with half of the deceased riders aged under 35.

“Police will utilise automatic numberplate recognition technology to detect unauthorised motorists, with almost half of deceased motorcyclists either unlicenced, suspended or disqualified from riding a motorcycle,” the spokesperson said.

Operation Scoreboard will run statewide from 12:01am Wednesday 21 September to 11:59pm Sunday 25 September.

TAC CEO Joe Calafiore said there was no one single answer to why higher levels of road trauma were usually seen in regional areas.

“We know excessive speed, fatigue and impaired driving remain major factors and when we are travelling longer distances on regional roads, often in higher speed zones, the consequences are more severe when something goes wrong,” he said.

“It is deeply concerning to see the number of lives lost on Victorian roads continuing to rise – we’re asking everyone to slow down, stay alert and drive to the conditions.”

Sadly, young people are over-represented in the statistics with 19 persons aged 18 to 20 killed so far this year on Victorian roads, a 111 per cent increase from last year.

The TAC said research showed P-platers were about seven times more likely to be killed or injured driving at night than fully licensed drivers.

A wrecked vehicle is towed after an elderly woman was involved in an accident. Picture: Supplied

Of the 98 people killed on rural roads, 25 involved accidents with vehicles running off straight roads, 20 running off the road on a curve, 17 died in crashes between vehicles driving in opposing directions and three while overtaking.

The number of fatalities were highest in the Campaspe (7), Greater Geelong (7), Corangamite (6), Murrindindi (6), Ballarat (5) and Wellington (5) shires.

Of the 175 killed in Victoria so far this year, 77 were drivers and 20 passengers.

Motorcyclists made up a significant proportion, with 37, a 28 per cent increase.

Seven cyclists have been killed, a 17 per cent increase, and 34 pedestrians, a 70 per cent lift on last year’s number.

Rural road crashes account for more than 65 per cent of the national road toll and the rate of serious injury on country roads is almost double that in capital cities, according to the Australian Road Safety Foundation.

A 31-year-old Mildura man was killed in a single car crash at Shea-Oak Log in early April. The man was driving a Holden sedan and was the sole occupant of the car. He died at the scene. Picture: 7NEWS

There were 237 road fatalities on Victorian roads last year – 26 more than in 2020 – despite government-mandated driving radius restrictions and curfews

Older vehicles with fewer advanced safety features are over-represented in serious crashes – particularly in regional areas.

In the past five years, close to 1200 people have been killed on Victorian roads – an average of 236 people each year.