By Parker McKenzie
Victoria Police is pleading with the public to slow down on the roads after several accidents resulting in injury and deaths of motorcyclists on Tuesday 18 April.
Assistant Commissioner Road Policing Glenn Weir said it had been a terrible 24 hours on the roads with two motorcyclists dead and another left seriously injured.
“Early indications suggest speed was a likely factor in each of these collisions. If everyone just slowed down the outcome may have been very different,” he said.
“Unfortunately, it is becoming far too frequent that police are pleading with motorists to slow down. We really need everyone to take some responsibility for their own behaviour behind the wheel.”
A 23-year-old Upper Ferntree Gully man has died after colliding with a traffic sign while riding a motorcycle on Tuesday 18 April.
Around 4pm, the man was travelling along Clow Avenue when he collided with the sign. He died at the scene, despite Ambulance Victoria arriving shortly after the accident.
Later in the evening, emergency services responded to another crash in Olinda, after a 20-year-old from Wheelers Hill crashed into a tree on Mt Dandenong Tourist Road around 10.50pm.
The man was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
Another motorcyclist also died after an accident in Cranborne East.
Assistant Commissioner Weir said Anzac Day is another high-risk period on the roads, so police will do all they can to prevent further road trauma.
“In addition to targeting speeding motorists, we’ll also be focusing on impaired drivers, as we tend to see a spike in drink driving detections around Anzac Day,” he said.
“There is no excuse for getting behind the wheel whilst you’re alcohol or drug-affected.”
Anybody who witnessed the accidents, and has dashcam footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
So far in 2023, there have been 94 lives lost on Victorian roads, compared to 76 during the same time period in 2022. This is a 23.7 per cent increase.
