Easter blitz reveals too many bunny drivers

Assistant Commissioner Doug Fryer. (Supplied)

Road rules went out the window over Easter for more than 300 Brimbank motorists who were nabbed by police for driving offences.

There were 63 speeding tickets issued and 42 unregistered vehicles taken off the roads, accounting for about a third of the 336 offences picked up during the four-day police operation Nexus in the area.

Melton highway patrol members clocked the 34-year-old driver of a Holden Commodore travelling at 133km/h in a 70km/h zone on Station Road, Deer Park, about 9.45pm.

The Keilor Downs man was later found to have a suspended licence, while a breath test revealed a blood-alcohol level of 0.046 per cent.

His car was impounded for 30 days and he is expected to be charged on summons with speeding, driving on a suspended licence, and drink-driving.

The Brimbank operation also detected 21 unlicensed drivers, 12 disqualified drivers, 37 mobile phone offences and 27 seat belt offences. Ten vehicles were impounded.

Drug testing across the state turned up an alarming one in seven drivers with a ‘positive’ result, while one in 608 was over the blood- alcohol limit.

Nine drink drivers and nine drugged drivers were caught in Brimbank.

Disappointing results

Road policing assistant commissioner Doug Fryer said the results were disappointing as people continued to be complacent when it came to road safety.

“While we had only one fatality this weekend, that’s still one too many – such a tragic loss of a life,” he said.

“To have so many people continuing to think it’s okay to take drugs and drive, or drink then drive, it’s clear there is a complacency with many thinking it’s okay, they’ll get away with it. It isn’t okay, and those who run the gauntlet will get caught.”

“Such selfish behaviour cannot and will not be tolerated.

“We also caught 234 disqualified or suspended drivers and 483 unlicensed drivers on the roads this weekend.

“That’s 717 people who should not have been behind the wheel at all – 717 people who were willingly putting the life of every road user at risk,” Mr Fryer said.

“It’s not good enough.”