Drug and alcohol-affected drivers will be a major focus for Victoria Police over Easter, as new police figures reveal a concerning trend involving impaired drivers carrying passengers.
Analysis of collision data has uncovered that impaired drivers with passengers on board were involved in 385 collisions causing injury and a further 18 causing death in the state of Victoria over the past two years.
The figures have prompted an urgent warning from police heading into Easter, with passengers being urged to call out the behaviour and refuse to get into a vehicle when the driver is impaired.
It comes as a major road policing operation gets underway from tomorrow, with Operation Compass to see police highly visible across the state’s roads, coinciding with the high-risk Easter and Anzac Day period in Victoria.
The consecutive long weekends this year will see police launch an extended 10-day state-wide blitz, with every available resource to be deployed until the conclusion of the Anzac Day long weekend.
Operation Compass commences at 0001 hours on Thursday 17 April and concludes at 2359 hours on Sunday 27 April.
Road Policing Assistant Commissioner, Glenn Weir says “At the end of the day, we just want everyone to make it home safely to their families this Easter, and we’ll be doing everything we can to ensure that happens.”
Image: https://pixabay.com/photos/police-cop-emergency-symbol-law-4566193/
