Police crack down on impaired drivers in Bendigo region

Police have identified the Bendigo, Campaspe, Macedon Ranges and Goldfields region as one of Victoria’s worst for impaired driver collisions involving passengers, ahead of the Easter and Anzac Day double long weekend.

Operation Compass begins Thursday and will run for 10 days statewide, with a focus on alcohol and drug-affected drivers.

New figures show 385 injury crashes and 18 fatal crashes statewide over the past two years involved impaired drivers carrying passengers.

Road Policing Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir said the message to passengers was just as important as to drivers.

“These drivers haven’t just made an incredibly poor choice by getting behind the wheel impaired, they’ve selfishly chosen to put the lives of their passengers at risk,” Weir said.

“There were hundreds of opportunities for the passengers in these collisions to speak up and put a stop to this behaviour in the first place.”

The data revealed 403 impaired drivers and 586 passengers were involved in collisions. Young drivers aged 18 to 24 made up the largest group, followed by those aged 30 to 39. More than 30 per cent of passengers were also aged 18 to 24, with nearly a quarter under 18.

Police say 46 per cent of drivers had consumed alcohol, 43 per cent were drug-affected, and 11 per cent were under the influence of both.

The Bendigo region ranked among the top five police areas for these types of collisions, joining Casey/Cardinia/Greater Dandenong, Geelong, Ballarat, and Banyule-Nillumbik.

Last year’s operation saw over 246,000 breath tests and 5,000 drug tests, with nearly 700 impaired drivers caught.

Operation Compass will also target speeding, fatigue, distraction and seatbelt non-compliance. Police will be highly visible on major roads connecting Melbourne to central and northern Victoria.

“We just want everyone to make it home safely to their families this Easter, and we’ll be doing everything we can to ensure that happens,” Weir said.