Police detected almost 500 traffic offences in Melton and Moorabool during Operation Roadwise across the Christmas and New Year period.
Running from December 15 to January 1, Operation Roadwise was a statewide road safety initiative with a major focus on impaired driving.
In Melton, 265 driving offences were detected, while 224 were recorded in Moorabool.
Nine drink drivers and 5 drug drivers were detected in Melton, with 8 and 5 respectively in Moorabool and 1 drink and drug combined as well.
Melton recorded 23 unregistered drivers and 19 unlicensed drivers, while Moorabool only had 7 combined.
Melton also recorded more than double the amount of unregistered vehicles, with 48 compared to Moorabool’s 22.
However the roles were reversed for speeding offences, with Moorabool recording 172, significantly more than Melton’s 117.
Overall, more than 19,000 traffic offences were detected statewide during Operation Roadwise, a result Road Policing Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir said was concerning.
“While the majority of road users have acted responsibly over the Christmas and New Year period, the fact we’ve detected over 19,000 offences in 18 days remains totally unacceptable,” he said.
“We’ve seen people making deliberate and conscious decisions that significantly increases the likelihood of road trauma, putting themselves and other road users at risk.”
There were 16 lives lost on Victorian roads over the Christmas and New Year period, adding to a total of 296 for 2023, the highest number of annual fatalities in 15 years.
Commissioner Weir said police will do all they can to ensure 2024 is a safer year on Victoria’s roads.
“We will continue to have a major focus on impaired drivers in 2024, so expect to be tested and face the consequences when you’re caught – we make no apologies for this,” he said.
“As we enter a new year, we’re appealing to motorists to reflect on their habits behind the wheel, take responsibility for their actions and prioritise their safety, as well as the safety of their passengers and all other road users.”
