TALK THE TOLL DOWN: ‘Death car’ to shock drivers

By Cherie Donnellan
POLICE will use a car involved in a fatal smash to shock drivers into road safety across the region, according to a Surf Coast officer.
Senior Sergeant Angelo Ferrara said the display aimed to address increasing “concern” about rising fatalities and serious injury in Surf Coast crashes.
Police would use a car from a Gippsland crash until they had found a “suitable” vehicle from the Surf Coast.
The Gippsland car had been “quite successful” spreading the road safety message in Bass Coast Shire, he said.
“It’s an in-your-face display and was useful to informing the public not only about the accident but promoting road safety.”
Sen Sgt Ferrara said police, State Emergency Service and Surf Coast Shire would use the display, which could move to different locations for “maximum exposure”.
“This display isn’t just aimed at younger drivers. All drivers should take this display as a serious warning about speed and driver error.”
Sen Sgt Ferrara said people aged 20 to 29 had the worst rate of serious injury and fatalities but the 70-plus group recorded the highest number of collisions.
The two leading types of collisions were vehicles into trees and into other cars, he said.
“The nature of our roads…is that they are often in rural settings. Trees line many of our roads and we have the winding Great Ocean Road where people can lose control of their cars.”
Sen Sgt Ferrara said most serious accidents were on weekends.