Victorian authorities are urging motorists to stick to the basics of driving, with simple mistakes “contributing to more than half of road deaths each year.”
Victoria Police have issued more than 24,000 infringement notices to drivers who were caught breaking “simple road rules”.
The data – collected from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023 – found that motorists failing to follow traffic lights were the most common offence.
Police handed out close to 8000 fines to drivers who passed through red lights, ignored yellow lights and disobeyed traffic lane change signals.
Worryingly, motorists not wearing a seatbelt or incorrectly wearing one was the second most frequent offence, with 4284 penalty notices issued – followed by close to 3000 fines for drivers who did not obey stop signs.
Additionally, police said driver behaviour at roundabouts and intersections was “of particular concern” with more than 2000 infringements handed out to drivers who refused to give way at intersections.
A further 1300 penalty notices were given to motorists who failed to give way at signposted streets.
Authorities detected 2000 drivers tailgating and 1700 motorists who did not have their headlights and tail-lights on at night.
Acting Senior Sergeant of Victoria Highway Patrol Joshua Perkins said “little [mistakes] add up.”
“A moment’s inattention is all it takes to cause a crash and the ramifications can last a lifetime.
“Ignoring the rules doesn’t just frustrate others, it’s dangerous,” Senior Sergeant Perkins said in a media statement.
“We really want people to think about the basics of good driving – paying attention, following the rules and expecting the unexpected,” he added.
The road safety warning follows Victoria’s 11.9 per cent increase in road fatalities in February 2024 – according to the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Research Economics’ Road Deaths Australia report.
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