December 16, 2015
Gippslanders will be aiming for a ‘zero road toll’ over the Christmas and New Year period, according to Federal MP Darren Chester.
Mr Chester joined Victoria Police Senior Sergeant Melanie Hamshere today in Traralgon to call on drivers to be patient and drive to the conditions as the roads become busier with holiday traffic.
“We should be aiming for a zero road toll across Gippsland over the Christmas holiday period. No road fatality, no road injuries are acceptable,” Mr Chester said.
“Some of us may have become complacent about road trauma and believe accidents are an inevitable part of the Christmas period. But we can’t accept that and the focus for these holidays is to ‘aim for zero’.
“There will be an increased police presence on the roads ensuring people obey the road laws and don’t put other drivers in danger.
“There are also a lot of roadworks currently underway in Gippsland and traffic conditions have changed, so drivers need to take their time to ensure they arrive at their destination safely.”
The new traffic conditions include lane switches on the Princes Highway between Traralgon and Sale as part of the $260 million duplication project, jointly funded by the federal and state governments.
There are also ongoing roadworks between Nowa Nowa and Orbost on overtaking lanes, funded by both levels of government.
“These roadworks are a key part of making our region safer and more productive, but at the same time, a lot of people have not experienced the roads as they are at the moment,” Mr Chester said.
“So we encourage people to pay attention to the speed limits and drive to the conditions. A zero road toll is a realistic target, if we all adhere to these basic safety rules.”
CAPTION: Senior Sergeant Melanie Hamshere explains to Federal MP Darren Chester speed enforcement methods that will be used by police over the summer holiday period.
