POLICE warn it could be unmarked police vehicles rather than highly visible highway patrol cars that catch offenders during Whittlesea’s Easter road blitz.
“We’ll get you either way,” said Sergeant Ashley Hodges of the Epping highway patrol.
He said Operation Crossroads would have a highly visible police presence on the roads but offending motorists also faced being caught by unmarked vehicles.
Police were taking a zero tolerance stance on such offences as drink or drug-affected driving, speeding, unlicensed driving, unregistered or unroadworthy cars and use of mobile phones, he said.
“If you do anything wrong you will be caught; there will be plenty of marked and unmarked cars out there.”
Driver distraction and fatigue could also kill or maim, and Sergeant Hodges warned motorists to be careful. “I’ve been to many fatalities that you don’t want to see, and the hardest thing is talking to the families afterwards,” he said.
“It’s not just fatalities that we are trying to avoid; a serious accident can affect lives forever.
“One silly mistake can lead to permanent injury, maiming or disability; and it can be preventable.”
He said drivers often set off in the early morning or late at night during holidays. “The body clock may not have adjusted so if drivers feel tired they should pull over for a power nap or change drivers,” he said.
“We want people to enjoy their holidays, but want them to go away and come back in one piece.”
He said people towing caravans or trailers should check them because defects such as a faulty tail light could cause an accident.
