Macedon Ranges Highway Patrol is “reasonably pleased” with the outcome of Victoria Police’s long-weekend operation in the Macedon Ranges compared to the bleak results statewide.
Unit commander Sergeant Brad Hall said no collisions or road trauma were reported in the region during Operation Arid, which ran from Friday, March 9 until Monday, March 12.
Throughout the four-day period, highway patrol officers patrolled Macedon Ranges roads, apprehending five drink drivers, 26 drivers speeding, and three unregistered vehicles.
Police caught one disqualified driver, one disobeying traffic signals, one seatbelt offence, one mobile phone offence and impounded one vehicle.
Sergeant Hall said while any number of offences was too many, the number of recorded offences was relatively low across the area.
He said the unit was “overall reasonably pleased” with what it found.
“More than 1000 breath tests were conducted,” he said.
No one was caught driving under the influence of illicit drugs. Across Victoria, six people were killed, more than 500 drink and drug drivers were caught and 3129 speeding offences were detected.
Road policing command assistant commissioner Doug Fryer said the results were concerning and marked an increase on the same period in 2017.
“It is frustrating and just terribly sad that over the weekend another six families now face the true reality of road trauma.”
