More cops to hit the road

DRIVERS can expect to see more police on the road as Geelong Highway Patrol adds to its ranks.

Increased speed enforcement, more booze bus operations and more drug-driving tests are on the cards in response to the beefed-up police presence, according to Superintendent Craig Gillard.

With the state’s road toll up 50 per cent on last year and regional roads bearing the brunt of the fatalities, Geelong Police have been given extra tools to tackle what have become dangerous highways.

“We’ve boosted our (highway patrol) staffing to four, and in the last two weeks we’ve got a new sergeant so that’s five, and we’ve got a couple more coming soon,” Supt Gillard said.

“We’ve got to bolster our numbers in order to increase our visibility on the road.

“With that there will be some enforcement increases.

“We’re doing more drug driving tests, more booze buses, we’ve got the ANPR (Auto License Plate Reading) capability here now full-time in Geelong in our vehicles.

“We’ve got the tools so now it’s about increasing our resources to ensure we’ve got the coverage and the application.”

Supt Gillard said Geelong Police would be targeting the top four causes of fatal road accidents — speed, alcohol, driver fatigue and inattention/ distraction.

“The key is the four big ones — plus mobile phone usage,” Supt Gillard said.

“There’s a little bit of hoon driving, there’s a little bit of fatigue, drink-driving and drug-driving — we’ve seen an increase in both of those areas,” he said.

“That indicates to us that the message — in the format in which it’s presented at the moment — is not getting through.

“There’s clearly some risk taking going on, there’s no doubt about that, and that’s something we focus on here in Geelong.

“I wish I had the answers — I really do.”

Supt Gillard said increased enforcement was a deterrent.

“If people see police vehicles on the road and see people being pulled over and challenged about their driving behaviour, it has an impact like a halo effect,” he said.

“Younger males are overrepresented (in the road toll stats), I think everybody acknowledges that but it’s about how we get the lesson through.”