Police blitz nets 192 offences in Wangaratta area

Traffic offences detected during Operation Furlong across the Wangaratta Police Service Area increased by more than 50 per cent compared with last year, with police catching significantly more speeders, drug drivers and unregistered vehicles. Victoria Police maintained a visible presence on state roads throughout six days of the Melbourne Cup long weekend. In the Wangaratta area covering the rural city, Alpine and Moira shires, 192 total offences saw a 54 per cent jump from last year’s five-day operation, driven largely by an increase of 40 speeding offences. Combined drink and drug driving detections remained the same at 12 overall, but this year there was a higher proportion of drug drivers (seven) than drink drivers (five). During a wet morning on Melbourne Cup Day Tuesday, Wangaratta police responded to a collision involving a tow truck and a motorcycle on the Hume Freeway near Wangaratta. A 65-year-old man from Melbourne was airlifted to hospital in a serious condition. Police continue to investigate the circumstances of the collision. Up to Monday police had detected eight impaired drivers, including a drink driver at a PBT site in Wangaratta about 9am Saturday. There was also an increase in offences including unregistered vehicles (up 13 offences) and cyclist offences (up 12 offences). Statewide almost 9000 traffic offences were detected, including nearly 4000 speeding drivers. One in every 487 drivers who were breath tested were caught over the legal blood alcohol limit. Assistant Commissioner Peta Barrett said it had been a harrowing weekend across the state, with 10 lives lost on Victoria’s roads throughout the operation. “The results speak for themselves with nearly 1500 driving offences per day committed during the six-day operation,” she said. “Enforcement is an integral part of our aims to keep people as safe as they can be on the road. “Take a moment to consider your actions - speeding, drink/drug use, seatbelts, mobile phones – all have fatal consequences.”

Police blitz nets 192 offences in Wangaratta area

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