School holidays no excuse to take a break from behind the wheel: police

POLICE will once again be out in force across the North East during April and are urging motorists to take extra care when travelling during the busy school holiday period. Police are preparing for an influx of travellers hitting highways and major arterials, heading to holiday hotspots across the region. Despite lower-than-average road trauma experienced during March, which is historically one of the state’s worst periods for road trauma, police are urging motorists not to be complacent as April gets underway. In April 2024, there were 17 lives lost on Victorian roads, with three quarters of these occurring on regional roads, including fatalities occurring in Boweya, Seymour and Mansfield. Of the 17 lives lost during April last year, 11 occurred within 15 kilometres of the deceased’s address. Assistant Commissioner, Glenn Weir, said last year’s road trauma insights were a stark reminder the risk of road trauma was always present. “Whether you’re a driver, passenger or pedestrian, road safety is everyone’s responsibility and it’s up to all of us to play our part in making the roads safer,” he said. There have been 75 lives lost on Victorian roads in 2025, equal with 75 at the same time last year, with more than half of this year’s fatal collisions occurring on regional roads. The North East has seen a tragic start to the year on local roads, with recent police data showing five lives lost and 47 serious injuries recorded due to motor vehicle collisions. Police will be prioritising road safety with several localised operations to be conducted in high-risk areas, culminating in a major statewide road policing blitz over the Easter and ANZAC Day period. Operation Compass will see police highly visible and enforcing across the state’s roads, commencing on 17 April and running for an extended 10-day period. For more information and tips for staying safe on the roads during April, visit the Road Safety page on the Victoria Police website.

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