With the festive season upon us, school holidays beginning, and after a particularly challenging couple of years, Victoria Police are urging all road users to think before doing the wrong thing.
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With the Victorian road toll currently sitting at 226, the statewide road policing operation dubbed 'Operation Roadwise' will focus on the biggest contributors to road trauma.
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Bendigo Police Highway Patrol Senior Sergeant Ian Brooks said there will be a particular focus on impaired driving and seat belt compliance.
"Our main focus will be speed especially on some of the smaller roads, impaired driving (drugs and alcohol) and distraction offenses (use of mobile phones) and fatigue," he said.
"On top of that, we will be focusing on people not wearing their seat belts.
"Unfortunately in our area over the past year, six people died on our roads for not wearing seat belts, which is far too many.
"More than half of the lives lost in Victoria this year have been in country Victoria so we want people to come and enjoy our area, support of communities but we want them to do that safely."
During last year's Operation Roadwise, 10 people died on Victorian roads and Victoria Police detected more than 14,216 traffic offences, including 6,201 speeding offences and a further 463 people caught drink driving and 535 people caught with drugs in their system.
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It has never been more important to take your time, drive to the conditions and follow the rules, he said.
"We just want to make sure everyone gets to where they want to be safely and send the Christmas and New Year period with their families."
This year's operation is a timely reminder to all road users to take care, as the state's road toll sits at 28 deaths higher this year compared to this time last year.
In honour of these lives, a Christmas tree with baubles representing each person who died on Victorian roads this year is now up at the Victoria Police headquarters - a reminder that these people are not just statistics, and they had real families who have experienced the trauma of losing a loved one.
We all want to be with each other but I don't want to see another empty seat at someone's Christmas table.
- Bendigo Police Highway Patrol Senior Sergeant Ian Brooks
"It's been a very, very difficult year and we have been through a difficult time for two years now so go out and enjoy this time," Senior Sergeant Brooks said.
"We have all been separated from our families due to the pandemic, let's make sure that's the only thing that does keep us apart. Let's not be permanently separated from our families.
"We all want to be with each other but I don't want to see another empty seat at someone's Christmas table."
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Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Road Policing Glenn Weir said for most of us, this was an exciting time of year with holidays fast approaching and festive cheer in full swing.
"But for the families of the 227 people who are honoured with this Christmas tree it's a sobering reminder that their loved one will not be with them," he said.
"Road safety is everyone's responsibility. It's up to all of us to ensure we reach our destination safely."
The operation commenced Friday and concludes at 11:59pm on Sunday, December 26.
Police enforcement will continue throughout the New Years period, with a localised focus particularly in coastal locations and holiday hot spots.
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