THE Australia Day Long Weekend was a busy one for police in Frankston and on the Mornington Peninsula, with Operation Amity focusing on speed, fatigue, impaired driving, distraction offences and seatbelt compliance.
Over the four days – Friday 25 January to Monday 28 January – police breath-tested 1161 drivers and drug-tested 38 drivers. Of these, 14 drink drivers and six drug drivers were charged.
Police also detected 23 disqualified or unlicensed drivers and fined 116 drivers for speeding. Twelve drivers were charged with disobeying traffic lights and 33 were caught driving unregistered vehicles. Three vehicles were impounded. Police also focused on boats and jet skis breaking speed limits and entering no-go zones, as well as checking on safety equipment and boat licences.
Leading Senior Constable Greg Wolfe, of Somerville Highway Patrol, said two serious injury collisions included one in which an L-plater changed lanes on the Mornington Peninsula Freeway, Dromana, causing another vehicle to “take evasive action, lose control and overturn”, 5.45pm, Saturday 26 January.
In the other serious incident a motorcyclist ran into a tree which had fallen across Coolart Road, Somerville, 10.30pm, Saturday 26 January.
Police also targeted those drinking alcohol on the beach and littering and behaving offensively. They were also on the lookout for hoon and road-rage incidents, drivers using mobile phones, drink drivers and parking offences.
Fines are $100 for having an open container of alcohol, $645 for being drunk in a public place and $806 for being drunk and disorderly – with the possibility of offenders spending time in the cells to sober up.
Jet ski riders can be fined $317 for breaching speed and distance rules on the water, and $793 for riding unregistered or unlicensed on the water.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 5 February 2019
