Victoria Police will increase its focus on motorcycle safety in an effort to reduce rider deaths from reaching a record five-year high.
It comes as police launch Operation Scoreboard, a statewide road policing effort to coincide with the AFL Grand Final long weekend.
The operation has been extended to account for the additional National Day of Mourning public holiday on 22 September, with many motorists expected to take advantage of the four-day long weekend across Victoria.
Police across the state will target speeding and distracted drivers heading out to regional areas on high-risk rural roads and highways.
Police are also warning Victorians celebrating the AFL Grand Final that there will be zero tolerance for drink or drug driving, and motorists should expect to be tested while out on the roads this weekend.
It comes as Victoria has recorded 178 lives lost in 2022 – 21 higher than 2021 (157) and trending well above the five-year average of 166.
Of particular concern to police is rising number of motorcyclist deaths – there have been 38 fatalities, trending well above the five-year average of 27 and on track to exceed the highest number of motorcyclist fatalities recorded in the last five-years (44 in 2019).
Speed has been cited as a factor in at least 20 motorcyclist fatalities this year, with half of the deceased riders under the age of 35.
Police will utilise automatic numberplate recognition technology to detect unauthorised motorists, with almost half of deceased motorcyclists either unlicenced, suspended or disqualified from riding a motorcycle.
Despite Covid restrictions, last year police managed to detect over 2,000 traffic offences during Operation Scoreboard – with speeding the most common offence, as well as almost 200 drink and drug driving detections.
Operation Scoreboard will run statewide from 12:01am Wednesday 21 September to 11:59pm Sunday 25 September.
For more information and tips for staying safe on the roads this long weekend, visit the Road Safety page on the Victoria Police website.
Victoria Police News – Tuesday 20 September 2022