Victoria Police will be dispelling some of the most common myths about speeding as they engage with drivers over the Anzac Day weekend as they launch Operation Tribute, which runs until Sunday.
With Anzac Day falling on a Thursday and Friday a rostered day off for the industrial sector, the force is expecting traffic volumes akin to a traditional long weekend.
Assistant Commissioner Road Policing Glenn Weir said we often associate high-range speeding and reckless driving with fatal and serious injury collisions.
“But the reality is low-range speeding and basic driving errors, even if due to a lapse in concentration, can be just as devastating,” he said.
“There are many misconceptions and myths around speeding or just going that little bit over the speed limit.”
The myth-busting effort will see police statewide hand out 40,000 fact cards countering five of the most common misconceptions about low-level speeding.
These include why going a little bit over the speed limit is in fact a risk and why small increases in speed really do increase the likelihood of a crash.
Police hope the engagement will reinforce the importance of motorists slowing down and taking responsibility of their actions to reduce road trauma.
Ass Commr Weir said they see these fact cards as an opportunity to proactively engage with motorists and have a conversation about how their speed can lead to trauma.
“We’d always prefer to educate motorists so they can make smarter and safer decisions behind the wheel, but we also won’t hesitate to enforce when road rules are being ignored,” he said.
“Anzac Day is a high-risk period on our roads, so we ask people to take care and look out for one another – particularly around the dawn services and commemorative events taking place.”
Enforcement will remain a focus with police targeting speeding, distraction and impaired drivers.
While the number of lives lost on Victoria’s roads is slightly down on last year police are concerned at current levels of road trauma, especially fatalities involving vulnerable road users.
Both motorcyclist and pedestrian fatalities are higher than at the same time last year.
There have been 22 motorcyclist fatalities compared with 16 at the same time last year, making up almost a quarter of this year’s lives lost.
There have been 12 pedestrian fatalities, double the figure at the same time last year.
Police are urging road users to take extra care and be on the lookout for vulnerable road users, particularly around Anzac Day dawn services where there will be lots of pedestrians moving around in little to no light.
Operation Tribute runs until 11.59pm on Sunday 28 April.
For more information and tips for staying safe on the roads visit the Road Safety page on the Victoria Police website.
