Leading Senior Constable Glenn Smith patrols the South Gippsland Highway in Cranbourne as part of Operation Ardent. 50395Picture: Stewart Chambers
POLICE swarmed into Springvale over the weekend as part of their attempt to drive down road trauma in the area.
Operation Ardent, which included booze and drug buses, marked and unmarked police cars and mobile speed cameras, focused on Cranbourne, Springvale, Narre Warren and Endeavour Hills from 5pm on Friday afternoon to midnight on Sunday.
Motorists in the area were found to be committing more than 680 offences.
Of the 688 offences detected, 28 motorists exceeded the alcohol or drug limit, 151 motorists were caught speeding – 125 of those between 10 and 25 kilometres over the speed limit.
Astoundingly, 43 people were not wearing their seatbelts, 56 people were detected using their mobile phone and 36 people driving while their licence was disqualified, suspended or unlicensed.
Road Policing Superintendent Neville Taylor said that he was amazed at the stupidity of some drivers.
“Even though we made it known that police would be out in force, it is obvious that there are a lot of people that are still willing to put themselves and others at risk of being injured and take the risk of getting caught,” Supt Taylor said.
“Drivers continue to speed, drink and drive, talk on their mobile phones and fail to wear their seatbelts”.
He said police would continue to warn motorists of the dangers while at the same time, continue to crack down on those caught disobeying the law.
Between January and June this year, 13 people died on roads in the area while 271 people sustained serious injuries due to collisions.
These figures resulted in Casey being announced the second worst area in the state for road trauma earlier this year.
Operation Ardent has been planned to run in high road trauma areas across the state for the rest of 2010.
