Victoria Police has revealed buses and heavy vehicles were targeted during July’s Operation Eastern Snow, with over 20 per cent of detected offences during the sting issued to heavy vehicles.
Operation Eastern Snow has seen police make themselves highly visible and enforcing, with a particular focus on roads heading to and from snowfields including Mt Bulla, Falls Creek and Mount Hotham.
Police cited false and misleading log book entries, overloaded vehicles and failing to secure loads as the majority of heavy vehicle penalties issued.
Of the total 523 offences detected, 101 were categorised as heavy vehicle offences.
Eastern Region Road Policing Inspector Jarrad Dowswell expressed his disappointment with the high number of offences across all vehicle types.
“It’s concerning that we’ve seen such high levels of noncompliance on the roads by motorists travelling to and from the snowfields,” Dowswell says
“Some of these roads have been significantly impacted by ice and snow in recent weeks, yet we continue to catch people for speeding and engaging in dangerous behaviours that puts all road users at risk.
“Wheel chains are essential for navigating roads impacted by ice and snow and can be the difference between remaining safely on the road or losing control and being involved in a serious collision.
“Already this season several vehicles have become stuck requiring vehicle occupants to be rescued, because they were not carrying snow chains and were unequipped to deal with the conditions.
“It’s been great to receive feedback from locals in these communities that our enforcement efforts have had a positive impact.”
The operation will continue throughout August on roads both heading to and from Victorian snowfields.
The 523 total offences detected in July during Operation Eastern Snow included:
- 247 speeding offences
- 101 heavy vehicle offences
- 45 unregistered vehicles
- 45 defect notices
- 11 disqualified, suspended or unlicensed drivers
- 8 seatbelt offences
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