Victoria Police have issued a warning to unauthorised drivers who get behind the wheel over the Australia Day long weekend.
Police across the state will be using automatic number plate recognition technology to detect and stop drivers who are unlicensed, suspended or disqualified.
Assistant Commissioner Road Policing Glenn Weir said the capability to detect and enforce against unauthorised drivers and motorcyclists has never been greater.
“These drivers have no right to be on our roads and pose a significant risk, not only to themselves but to all road users,” he said.
“Increasingly, we’re seeing unauthorised drivers involved in road trauma and fatal collisions.”
All highway patrol vehicles are fitted with automatic license plate recognition technology and additional police vehicles have been fitted with the technology as a part of an ongoing trial.
Unauthorised drivers were involved in 31 fatal collisions in 2022, a 29 per cent increase from 2021.
Police have launched a five-day operation to reduce road trauma, with a focus on major arterials, holiday hotspots and travel on rural roads.
24 Victorians have lost their lives on the roads in the first three weeks of 2023, double the five-year average of 12 and accounts for the most road deaths recorded in this period since 2004.
Last year, 21 drivers and passengers died unbuckled in Victoria – representing 17 per cent of all vehicle occupant deaths for the year, while more than 75 per cent of those occurred on regional roads.
With the Australia Day public holiday and school holidays coming to an end, police are expecting roads to be busy over the coming days and advise people to plan ahead.
To encourage travellers to take regular breaks from driving, Driver Reviver Australia will have the support of VICSES and Lions Club volunteers operating rest stops across the state where motorists can take a break, stretch their legs and change drivers if possible.
“To help turn this tragic start to the year around, we are urging drivers to plan ahead – get a good night’s sleep before you drive, take regular breaks, allow for extra travel time, and share the driving if you can,” Transport Accident Commission Acting CEO Liz Cairns said.
Operation Amity commenced at 12.01am on Wednesday 25 January and concludes at 23.59pm on Sunday 29 January.
