By Liam McNally
More than 7000 offences were detected by Victoria Police during Operation Scoreboard over the AFL Grand Final long weekend, including 115 in Melton alone.
The most common Melton offences were for speeding and unregistered vehicles, with 53 and 22 recorded respectively.
The operation recorded seven drink driving, and nine drug driving offences in Melton.
The five-day statewide road policing operation saw police targeting high-risk driving behaviour, with a particular focus on speeding, impaired driving, and distraction.
Police also increased their focus on motorcycle safety during the operation following a recent spike in motorcycle trauma, with 238 motorcycle offences detected.Statewide, 224 drink driving offences were recorded from 119,953 preliminary breath tests, and 212 drug driving offences from 3,615 roadside drug tests.
Almost 40 per cent of all offences recorded statewide were for speeding.
Victoria Police road policing Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir said close to 500 drivers were detected for driving whilst unlicensed, disqualified or suspended.
“This blatant disregard for the rules will not be tolerated, and police will continue to utilise ANPR technology to detect and remove unauthorised drivers from the roads,” he said.
Three lives were lost on Victorian roads during the long weekend operation, with a motorist struck and killed whilst changing a car tyre in Deer Park on Wednesday, September 21.
The total number of lives lost on Victorian roads this year is 186, which is 26 higher than last year and well above the five-year average of 169.
“Now is not the time to be complacent,” Assistant Commissioner Weir said.
“We’re experiencing high levels of road trauma not seen since well before the pandemic.
“Police will continue to be on high alert for motorists engaging in risk-taking behaviour that puts other road users in danger.”
Operation Scoreboard ran from 12:01am on Wednesday, September 21 to 11:59pm on Sunday, September 25.
