Police have urged motorists to slow down following a horror 24 hours on roads in Victoria.
Two motorcyclists were killed in separate crashes at Upper Ferntree Gully and Cranbourne East, while another rider was seriously injured at Olinda in central-south Victoria.
Police revealed on Wednesday that early indications suggest speed was a factor in all three collisions.
The two fatal crashes happened within hours of each other on Tuesday, one at 4pm and the other just after 8.30pm.
There have been 96 deaths on the state’s roads this year, which is an increase of 23 per cent compared to last year’s total of 78.
Police said it is also almost 30 per cent higher than the five-year average of 74.
While the number of motorcycle deaths are down this year compared to the same time in 2022, police are urging riders “not to be complement”.
Sixteen motorcyclists have died so far this year, six less than last year.
“It’s been a terrible 24 hours on our roads with two motorcyclists dead and another left seriously injured,” Road Policing Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir said in a statement.
“Early indications suggest speed was a likely factor in each of these collisions. If everyone just slowed down the outcome may have been very different.
“Unfortunately, it is becoming far too frequent that police are pleading with motorists to slow down. We really need everyone to take some responsibility for their own behaviour behind the wheel.”
In the lead up to Anzac Day, police will launch Operation Tribute to crackdown on road safety over the public holiday period.
“Anzac Day is another high-risk period on our roads, so police will be out during this time doing all we can to prevent road trauma,” he said.
“In addition to targeting speeding motorists, we’ll also be focusing on impaired drivers, as we tend to see a spike in drink driving detections around Anzac Day.
“There is no excuse for getting behind the wheel whilst you’re alcohol or drug affected.”
Operation Tribute will start on Friday, April 21.
News Source: www.skynews.com.au
