Campaign urges high-risk driving to be reported

CRIME Stoppers Victoria and Victoria Police are urging the community to share footage of high-risk driving in a new campaign to crack down on motorists behaving badly.

The “See It. Share It.” road safety initiative uses de-identified footage to demonstrate dangerous driving behaviour, and encourage Victorians to submit any footage they capture to Crime Stoppers.

Data from the Transport Accident Commission shows more than 1,200 lives have been lost on Victorian roads over the past five years, with 295 recorded in 2023, the highest number of lives lost on Victorian roads in 15 years.

There have been 280 lives lost on Victorian roads in the calendar year to midnight on December 15.

Crime Stoppers Victoria chief executive officer Stella Smith said that with more people installing dashcams or carrying recording devices, every person could play a role in road safety.

“Each one of us has the power to make a difference.

“By reporting what you see, you can help prevent tragic incidents before they occur.

“Even one life lost on our roads is one too many.”

Crime Stoppers is encouraging the community to share footage through its online platform, which provides the option to remain anonymous.

Reports can be completed on a mobile phone or computer.

Crime Stoppers Victoria says publicly sharing footage as part of “See It. Share It.” is, and remains, a rare and significant step.

“We do not take the decision to release footage lightly, but we believe showing real examples of high-risk driving allows the community to see the type of footage that can assist in investigations,” Ms Smith said.

Victoria Police road policing Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir said high-risk drivers would be held accountable.

“If you engage in risk-taking behaviours on our roads, even if the police don’t always see you, be aware that other people may report you.

“The community is watching, and it is only a matter of time before you face the consequences.”

The penalties for high-risk driving in Victoria can be severe, particularly when drugs or alcohol are involved.

Consequences may include loss of licence, having your vehicle impounded, significant fines, or even imprisonment.

For dangerous driving specifically, you can face a fine of up to $47,520, have your vehicle impounded for 30 days or up to two years imprisonment.

“Police can use footage submitted by the community to investigate dangerous driving, and rest assured – we can, and frequently do, detect and prosecute offending drivers,” Assistant Commissioner Weir said.

“We make no apologies for holding these people to account and removing them from our roads.”

“See It. Share It” is not encouraging people to film while driving, but if you witness dangerous driving and it is captured on a dashcam or recorded safely, you can upload your footage at crimestoppersvic.com.au

Police advise that in emergencies or life-threatening situations, always phone 000 (Triple Zero) immediately.