Senior Constable Mascoll discovers a child at risk. 86942 Picture: XAVIER SMERDON
By XAVIER SMERDON
WYNDHAM has been identified as a hotspot for risky drivers that continue to ignore the law, according to senior police.
Around 60 police officers swarmed the municipality last Thursday, setting up four different stations where they scanned vehicle number plates and tested thousands of cars for roadworthiness as part of Operation Road BIA.
Senior Sergeant Ken Scott from the State Highway Patrol, said the operation aimed to catch Victoria’s worst repeat hoons, drink drivers, and drivers who flee police.
“It’s a multi-agency operation aimed to rid the roads of people who have a total disregard for the way they drive,” Sen Sgt Scott said.
“Wyndham’s a hotspot for that for sure.”
Of all the drivers that were checked by police, one Werribee woman managed to shock even Sen Sgt Scott.
As the woman was made to pull her car over, not only did police find a young boy unrestrained on the front seat, when they opened the passenger side door they found an 18-month-old boy on the floor of the car under the glove box.
“There is so much wrong with what happened there,” Sen Sgt Scott said.
“The most important thing is that she put a one-and-a-half-year-old child at risk.
“I never cease to be amazed at what I see. After 40-years on the job I’ve never seen that before.”
The woman received a $375 fine and lost three demerit points.
The most common offences recorded were for unregistered and unlicensed drivers.
Assistant Commissioner for Road Policing Robert Hill said the behaviour of these drivers was criminal and posed unacceptable dangers to innocent road users.
“Our intelligence and research shows that unauthorised drivers are commonly over represented in road trauma and create extra risks on our roads,” AC Hill said.
“We believe less than15 per cent of drivers identified in the top 500 hold a current licence.
“The rest are either unlicensed, disqualified, suspended, have surrendered their licence or had it cancelled.”
Sen Sgt Scott said Wyndham drivers could expect police to hold similar operations in the area over the coming weeks.
