By John Van Klaveren
Police will be scanning the Geelong’s major commuter roads for the next three weeks as part of Operation Horizon.
The blitz during the drive to and from work started today and is aimed at reducing peak hour accidents.
The Geelong Ring Road and Princes Freeway will be targeted, along with major metropolitan freeways, to boost safety for daily commuters.
Acting Superintendent David Griffin said heavy volumes of traffic on major arterial roads, combined with impatience, sometimes led to drivers taking unnecessary and unacceptable risks.
“During the peak hour rush, people are often in a hurry, creating unnecessary stress and a sense of panic that causes errors in judgement,” he said.
“We’ve had a horrendous start to the year and the last thing we need is more tragedy on our roads, particularly leading into the Easter and ANZAC Day periods, which are critical periods for the community in terms of road trauma risk.
“During Operation Horizon, people can expect to see a strong police presence on our roads.
“We know that peak hours are high risk periods when many crashes occur.
“People who have not planned their journey properly, or who are running late for work can become impatient and are more inclined to take shortcuts, or engage in risky behaviour to try to make it to their destination on time.
“Tailgating and using technology while driving are also common offences we see during these times.
“We are asking people to take a deep breath, slow down and ensure they arrive at their destination safely.
“Running late for work or being in a hurry to get home is no excuse for doing the wrong thing.”
Operation Horizon will run until 11 April.
