Police are going back to basics to tackle a spike in pedestrian injuries in Dandenong.
They’re appealing for people travelling on foot to look left and right before crossing the road, following a 30 per cent jump in serious injuries to pedestrians in the Southern Metro Region in the 12 months to August.
Dandenong, Frankston and St Kilda accounted for most of the increase, from 133 to 173 incidents.
Inspector Alison Crombie said all of the injuries could have been avoided.
“It should come as no surprise that our bodies are simply not made to withstand the force of an impact with a car,” she said.
“Despite this knowledge, it appears that complacency and distraction are the main causes of the injuries.
“Don’t ever cross the road, even at a crossing, without checking to see that oncoming traffic is actually going to stop for you.
“You may have right of way at a crossing, but you should never assume the driver has seen you.”
Insp Crombie said it was also important for motorists to ensure they were driving within the speed limit and looking out for pedestrians.
“The difference between a serious collision and stopping in time can be just a couple of kilometres an hour,” she said.
“If we all share the road, we can reduce pedestrian deaths and injuries to zero.”
