The Victorian Government is targeting frequent and high-risk offenders as part of a new action plan to make roads safer.
While most drivers don’t deliberately set out to harm others, there has long been a cohort of road users that consciously choose to take risks.
There is strong evidence that drivers who are involved in serious offences against bike riders have a history of offending.
Now they are in the sights of the authorities.
One measure being developed is the use of new vehicle immobilising technologies.
As well there will reviews of drink and drug driving laws and penalties, and new approaches to address the root causes of high-risk traffic offending.
The plan will focus on Victorians who either experience or cause harm on our roads, including dangerous drivers, people who work on the roads, and vulnerable groups like young people, motorcyclists, pedestrians and the elderly.
The Victorian Budget 2021/22 invests $385.8 million over four years to deliver the plan through new safety infrastructure, strategies to increase public awareness and innovative programs to protect our most vulnerable road users.
The action plan will see 35 additional speed and red-light cameras installed at high-risk intersections and two new networks of cameras on freeways to deter dangerous driving like speeding – which contributes to 30 per cent of fatal crashes on Victorian roads.
The plan will include initiatives to protect and increase public awareness of those at highest risk on our roads – like food delivery riders, roadside workers, cyclists and pedestrians, while work to keep Victorian kids safe around schools will continue, with $41.1 million to support the School Crossing Supervisor Program for the next two years.
The Government also says it is also working in partnership with the Commonwealth to deliver better road safety infrastructure across Melbourne and regional Victoria – with more road sealing, rumble strips, electronic speed sign upgrades and safety barriers to make every journey safer.
Victoria's first Road Safety Action Plan is being delivered under the new Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030, which sets ambitious targets to halve road deaths and significantly reduce serious injuries by 2030 and sets the state on a path to zero road deaths by 2050.
Minister for Roads and Road Safety Ben Carroll said: “This plan will help us tackle the root causes of road trauma – identifying dangerous repeat offenders early and making sure we protect our most vulnerable road users so that more Victorians make it home safely every day.”