Police netted dozens of impaired, speeding and disqualified drivers in the South East during a King’s Birthday long weekend traffic blitz.
As part of Operation Regal, police detected 113 traffic offences in Casey and 105 in Greater Dandenong between 9-12 June.
Twelve vehicles were impounded in Greater Dandenong, and five in Casey.
In Greater Dandenong, there were 36 speeding offences, 20 drink and/or drug drivers, 21 disqualified and unlicensed drivers, 17 unregistered vehicles, nine disobeying traffic signs/signals and seven mobile phone offences.
Most prolific in Casey were speeding offences (69), unregistered vehicles (17), disqualified and unlicensed drivers (9), drink or drug drivers (7),) and seatbelt offences (5).
Operation Regal targeted unsafe driver behaviour believed to be fueling Victoria’s road toll of 145 as of 13 June.
This is up 37 per cent from the same time last year, and the largest since 2007.
In the lead up, Victoria Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Road Policing, Martin O’Brien said the “amount of trauma on our roads is alarming”.
“We are now at a critical point as to whether we can turn this year around and reduce road trauma – we are doing everything we can, but police cannot do it alone.”
Police identified speeding, impaired driving, seatbelt non-compliance, distraction and disobeying traffic signs and unauthorized driving as contributing factors.
They were a key focus for police during the long weekend operation.
