The focus for 2024–2028 builds on our previous strategy using emerging research, observed changes to road behaviour and principles of the Neighbourhood Policing Framework.
A Road Safety Forum hosted by Victoria Police in September 2023 and attended by world renowned road safety experts revealed a disturbing acceptance of ‘low level’ risk-taking behaviours like speeding at 10 km/h above the limit and mobile phone use due to a perception by road users of the unlikelihood of detection.
Experts also confirmed the critical role of enforcement in impacting road user behaviour change.
This strategy simplifies our approach, directing our road policing efforts towards highly visible enforcement activities with an increased focus on general deterrence. This includes ‘anytime, anywhere’ vehicle intercepts as well as targeted enforcement, aiming to increase deterrence and change driver behaviour.
We will place an increased focus on single acts of non-compliance due to the significant contribution that these acts have on road trauma.
We will support members to undertake road safety policing activities with access to enhanced technology, information and equipment.
Our investment in new equipment, such as the next generation preliminary breath testing device, will allow us to regularly monitor road safety enforcement activities and map interactions to improve resource allocation and planning.
We will also strengthen our community engagement approach, partnering with local councils and safety committees through our Neighbourhood Policing Framework to identify and address specific road safety risks.
We will encourage our frontline supervisors to include road safety risks on the Community Issues Register to capture, track and report on Victoria Police’s response to these risks.
Continuing to adopt the Safe System approach, we will work with our road safety partners to identify all contributing factors in a collision and address areas of risk holistically.
Speeding, impaired driving, risks on rural roads, seatbelt non-compliance, distraction, unauthorised driving, and high-risk driving behaviours persist as focal points for our enforcement activities in our mission to reduce road trauma on Victorian roads.
Updated