High-risk driving a long weekend target

POLICE say they are determined to turn around a “shocking” start to the year on the roads with a state-wide enforcement effort during the long weekend.

Operation Arid will run from Friday until Monday, with police targeting high-risk driving behaviour and non-compliance in an effort to reduce road trauma.

Victoria recorded 68 lives lost in the first 66 days of the year – 18 more than at the same time last year and a 45 per cent increase on the five-year average.

Police were especially concerned about a significant increase in lives lost on rural roads, with 42 deaths since January – a 57 per cent increase on the five-year average.

More than half of this year’s fatalities resulted from single-vehicle collisions, with two-thirds occurring on rural roads.

Police said the concerning trend was being overwhelmingly caused by minor forms of non-compliance, rather than extreme driving behaviour.

Assistant commissioner of road policing Glenn Weir said it suggested simple mistakes behind the wheel were leading to “catastrophic consequences”.

“Speed, distraction, fatigue and not wearing a seatbelt are major contributors to single-vehicle fatal collisions,” he said.

“All such behaviours will be targeted during this weekend’s Operation Arid.”

March was historically the highest-risk month on Victoria’s roads, with collisions in both rural and metropolitan Melbourne peaking during the month over the past five years.

“We know the Labour Day long weekend is a busy period for events and a popular time to travel, so we’re anticipating lots of Victorians hitting the roads over the coming days,” Mr Weir said.

“We’ll be out with our full contingent of police vehicles to ensure everyone is doing their bit to keep themselves and all other road users safe.”

Operation Arid started at 12.01am Friday and ends at 11.59pm on Monday.