Reducing road trauma

Baw Baw Highway Patrol police are part of a statewide police operation aimed at reducing road trauma.

Operation Roadwise is running during the high-risk summer period and will finish on January 8.

Baw Baw highway patrol acting sergeant Mark Hrynyszyn said the 24 day operation was aimed at reducing road trauma and influencing road-user behaviour.

He said police would be targeting the main causes of fatalities and serious injuries including excessive speed; driver distraction; restraint non-compliance; fatigue; and, impaired driving (drug and or alcohol).

Local police will be out and about and their focus will be on every road user to arrive safely home to their family.

Police are urging community members to travel safely to and from festive functions and during the annual holiday period.

“If you know you are going to drink, it’s quite simple, just don’t drive. If you have a long drive ahead or know you’ll be travelling on unfamiliar roads, plan ahead and take regular breaks.

“Drive to the conditions; slow down if you need to. Arriving home safely is more important than arriving on time,” Mr Hrynyszyn said.

Police will be saturating roads across the state in an effort to reduce road trauma throughout the high risk summer period.

Motorists can expect to have their vehicles scanned and photographed, be breath-tested, drug tested, speed-checked by police from the state and local highway patrols and road policing drug and alcohol section.

“Stay alert, stay sober, stay within the limit and stay alive - stay away from the risks on the road this summer.

“No one wants to be spending their holidays visiting loved ones in hospital or arranging funerals,” Mr Hrynyszyn said.