General News
5 April, 2023
Police, SES hit the roads over the long weekend
Driver Reviver sites will be helping Victorians stay safe on the roads over the upcoming Easter long weekend, including in Maryborough, while police will target risky driver behaviour with their five-day Operation Nexus. Victoria State Emergency...
Driver Reviver sites will be helping Victorians stay safe on the roads over the upcoming Easter long weekend, including in Maryborough, while police will target risky driver behaviour with their five-day Operation Nexus.
Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) volunteers will be offering motorists free tea, coffee, biscuits, and a safe place to rest and refresh at roadside stops.
More than 30 sites will be set up across the state including at Maryborough’s Coronation Park off Park Road on Thursday and Monday from 12-7 pm, featuring the local SES’ new Driver Reviver trailer, purchased last year through a fundraiser by the Maryborough Highland Society and SES in honour of life time member of both organisations, the late Stephen Moyle.
Maryborough SES have been facilitating a Driver Reviver site since 1992 and deputy controller Em Hooke said taking a 15 minute break outside of the car is vital.
“It’s easy to drive through McDonalds and have a coffee, but it’s actually more important to have a break and get out of the vehicle,” she said.
“What better way to take a break than with a free coffee or tea — and there’ll be Easter eggs for the kids.
“We’re setting up Thursday because a lot of people usually pack up and get on the road for the long weekend that day. By the time Good Friday arrives most people have set up camp somewhere. How many people we see varies on the weather.
“We also have our new Driver Reviver caravan which is about to have its first birthday.
Alongside providing a rest spot for drivers, Ms Hooke said the site is a great chance for locals to come along and chat to SES members.
“You don’t have to be on the road to drop in — come down and talk to us about joining the SES or to learn about what we do. It’s another opportunity for social interaction and community engagement,” she said.
Fatigue is one of the biggest contributors to deaths on the roads. An estimated 17 percent of motor vehicle fatalities in Victoria are related to sleep deprivation.
VICSES recommends routine breaks — at least once every two hours — when planning a long drive.
Out on the roads, police will be targeting speed, fatigue, distraction offences and seatbelt non-compliance — and motorists should expect to be tested for drugs and alcohol.
“Families and friends will be eager to get out this Easter, but it is important that Victorians take their time to drive safely and responsibly on our roads this long weekend — it’s better to arrive late than not at all,” Minister for Police Anthony Carbines said.
“The message is clear — if you are doing the wrong thing on our roads this long weekend, you should expect to be caught and held to account.”
During last year’s Easter operation, in the Central Goldfields Shire there were 104 offences recorded — speeding topped the list of offences with 88 drivers caught driving over the speed limit.