Police are worried about an increasing number of drug-affected drivers on Melton roads.
Melton highway patrol officers wrapped up Operation Impacted, targeting roads with a high incidence of road trauma, in the municipality a fortnight ago. The operation started in January.
Sergeant Chris Stuhldreier said one of every five drivers tested for drugs during the operation was found to be positive, compared with the state average of one in 15.
“[Drug-driving] seems to be on the up, while drink-driving seems to be on the way down,” Sergeant Stuhldreier said. “I think it’s cultural and people are starting to realise the effects of drink-driving.”
He said many of the operation’s drug-affected drivers had tested positive for “ice”. “And that’s in line with the general community problem around methamphetamine,” he said.
But Operation Impacted had achieved its object to reduce road trauma, Sergeant Stuhldreier said. There was one fatal collision during the months of the operation, down from three in the corresponding period the year before.
Serious injury collisions were down from 27 to 15, with “other” injury collisions down from 55 to 43.
Another police mission, Operation Trojan, ran from February and wrapped up yesterday. Focused on the Western and Melton highways, it targeted mobile phone use and seatbelt offences. Police detected 243 offences.
