Police spare no effort on roads

By Sarah Schwager
CRANBOURNE drivers will again be the focus in a bid to halt the number of serious accidents and fatalities in the wet and fog.
Operation Spare has started up again as Cranbourne Police continues its zero tolerance approach on traffic offences in the Cranbourne response zone in the wake of the high number of fatalities in the area this year.
The first four weeks of the operation last month were positive with just four drink driving offences detected out of 700 breath tests.
But Senior Constable Allen Inderwisch from Casey Traffic Management Unit (TMU) said the number of people caught exceeding the speed limit was very disappointing, with 61 people booked and five people charged and taken to court.
“People don’t seem to take speed seriously,” Sen Const Inderwisch said.
“Also, as soon as there’s a bit of rain on the road some locals think that gives them licence to do burnouts.”
The high visibility operation runs seven days a week at random times in different areas and concentrates on all traffic offences including speed, drink driving, and safety issues such as using a mobile phone and failing to wear a seatbelt.
Sen Const Inderwisch said the biggest problems detected by police when the operation first started were high speed and using a mobile phone while driving.
“During the winter months and particularly in the bad weather we are appealing to drivers to drive safely, make sure their cars are roadworthy and always turn the headlights on when it is raining or there is fog.”
Sen Const Inderwisch said anyone found driving dangerously or doing burnouts would have their car impounded.
He urged people to contact Casey’s Hoon Hotline 1800 18 HOON (4666) or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, which also has a state-wide hoon hotline.
The operation will continue indefinitely but police will particularly concentrate on the next four weeks.