Bendigo police join national effort to combat road trauma

The day sees police jurisdictions from all over Australia join together for a road policing operation as part of a direct response to the high number of lives lost on the country's roads this year.

In July, a national road policing forum addressed the challenges Australia is having on the roads with the decision made to host a National Day of Action.

Bendigo Highway Patrol Senior Sergeant Ian Brooks said all available police units were out on the region's roads on Tuesday.

"It is really to bring attention to the road toll which is spiraling out of control," he said.

"It brings the message home to the motoring public that the road toll is completely unacceptable.

"This is not just about enforcement it's about a community response. The (road toll) is the whole community's responsibility, not just the police or other people who deal with (road crashes)."

Senior Sergeant Brooks said they would be targeted every facet of bad and illegal driving behavior.

"Distracted driving is one of them but we are also looking at speed, alcohol and drug impaired driving, people not wearing a seatbelt and drivers disobeying road signs," he said.

"In the majority of cases we're not going to stand and lecture drivers. Some people upset at getting a ticket but they have information being given to help understand why they need to drive safely.

"We are giving copies of a booklet produced by the TAC called Road Toward Zero which gives people examples of how communities can engage and think about (safe) driving habits."

Senior Sergeant Brooks said basic road safety things were often being ignored by drivers.

"So many people we catch not wearing seat belts and we don't know why. It's been a law since 1966. We're not looking harder for it, we're just finding more people doing it," he said.

"Driving and using your phone is stupid irresponsible and dangerous behaviour but people insist on doing it. It is an offence to use a phone while driving including while sitting at traffic lights because you're not paying attention to things around you.

"These are basic things that have been going on for years but people just don't get the message."

Road Policing Command Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane said enforcement was a critical element of changing road user behaviour.

"This year a lot of people are dying on our roads who do not need to be," AC Leane said.

"Each state will be using intelligence to determine what driver behaviours will be a priority, and have police out enforcing against them."

Victoria has seen a 43.5 per cent increase in the number of deaths on the road this year with 188 lives lost so far this year. At the same time last year 132 people had died on the state's roads.

Drivers who choose to break the law and speed will be targeted.

"Speed kills, it's just physics. 80km may not seem fast, but if you hit a tree, a signpost, a light pole, or another vehicle at that speed - it could have deadly consequences," Assistant Commissioner Leane said.

"At the end of the day we just want people to make it home to their friends and family. Unfortunately this year, this has not happened for 190 Victorians."

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