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BENDIGO police will target low-level speeding this long weekend in a bid to lower the road toll.
Sergeant Della Nihill said police would be enforcing the speed limit as part of Operation Amity, a four-day blitz of the state’s roads.
"In the past five years there have been 14 fatalities and 352 serious injury collisions during the Australia Day weekend in Victoria," she said.
"There are more people on the roads because people have time off.
"We won't just be targeting low-level speeding.
"We will target all other traffic offences aswell."
Research shows speeding directly contributes to around 70 deaths and 2000 serious collisions each year.
If drivers reduced their average speed by just 1km/h, fifteen deaths and 300 serious injuries could be prevented each year.
Road Policing Command Assistant Commissioner Robert Hill said by making speeding socially unacceptable the community could have a huge impact on road trauma.
“There is a perception that low-level speeding is safe but we know that this is simply not true,” he said.
“Independent research shows if every driver dropped just one kilometre per hour off their average speed, we could save 15 lives every year.
“That’s 15 families who would be spared the heartache of losing a loved one.
“Whether you’re 5km/h or 15km/h over, if you speed, you can expect to be stopped by police.”
merran.reed@fairfaxmedia.com.au