It might look festive, but each of the baubles on this Christmas tree symbolise a tragedy.

The tree is adorned with 278 decorations – one for every life lost on Victorian roads in the year to date.

To further drive the message home, all of the baubles carry the first name and the age of a person who has died.

Each year, before Christmas, police appeal to the community to be careful on the roads. 

Road Policing Command Assistant Commissioner Doug Fryer contemplated what he could say this year that would make a difference. 

“Motorists, pedestrians, road users, cyclists, motorcyclists, all road users know we are going to be out and about, and I reiterate we are, however what I want everyone to understand is that the lives lost are not just a number,” he said. 

“They were very real people, loved ones and family members who are never coming home.

“I’ve talked to a lot of people who have lost a loved one and they tell me the grief and pain just never goes away.

“No one should have to live with that pain.”

A life is lost to a road crash every day and a half in Victoria. 

Someone is injured on the state’s roads every two hours. 

“I can stand up here and discuss road trauma all day, but it doesn’t really matter what I say unless everyone in the community starts to understand road trauma and understand that it will happen to someone you know,” the assistant commissioner said. 

“We all have a role to play in reducing road trauma, this is not just a police issue, it’s not just a government issue, its everyone’s issue.”

Police will be conducting a statewide operation targeting the main causes of fatalities and serious injuries during the high-risk summer period, from December 16 to January 8.

Causes include excessive speed, driver distraction, restraint non-compliance, fatigue and impaired driving.

“Eleven people killed on the roads during the operation last year is 11 too many, we all must play our part,” the assistant commissioner said.