General News
2 April, 2026
Road safety urged over Easter
Police and the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) are warning motorists ahead of Easter their chances of being detected breaking road rules have drastically increased, with a recent uplift in road policing enforcement set to continue this weekend.
There was a 30 percent year-on-year increase in the number of infringements issued over last month’s statewide road policing blitz over Labour Day long weekend, with police detecting 6442 offences over four-days.
Police also recorded a 26 percent increase in patrol hours for the operation, compared to the same period the previous year.
It comes as another major road policing operation gets underway with Operation Nexus to see police highly visible across the state’s roads, coinciding with the Easter long weekend in Victoria.
The operation will see every available resource, from general duties to highway patrol and specialist road policing units deployed over the five-day statewide blitz.
Police are reminding motorists to expect to be intercepted and tested, anywhere, anytime.
One in every 473 motorists tested for alcohol were caught over the limit during last month’s statewide operation, with police detecting 250 drink driving offences from 118,427 preliminary breath tests.
A further 163 drivers returned a positive roadside drug test, with 3669 roadside drug tests conducted over Labour Day weekend.
Speed enforcement will also be a major focus of the operation, with police detecting close to 2900 speeding offences over Labour Day weekend last month, 25 percent more than the same period in 2025.
There will also be a focus on major arterials heading to holiday hotspots and regional areas, with lives lost on regional roads accounting for more than half of this year’s fatalities.
Police are urging motorists to remain alert when travelling this weekend, with complacency often leading to driving errors such as excessive or inappropriate speed, unsafe overtaking, failing to stop or give way, fatigue and distraction, all which have been cited as major contributing factors in this year’s fatalities.
Road policing Acting Assistant Commissioner Justin Goldsmith said Victoria Police is focused on uplifting their road policing enforcement, particularly during the highest-risk periods when the statewide operations are in effect.
“We saw a significant year-on-year increase of both patrol hours and infringements issued during last month’s operation, and we’ll again be throwing every available resource at this weekend’s Easter road safety blitz,” he said.
“We know this is a weekend that attracts significant travel across the state, so we won’t be taking any chances, and neither should you.”
The TAC is also urging people travelling on Victorian roads over the Easter school holidays to rest up, take breaks and drive safely.
A road safety partnership between the TAC and VICSES will deliver the Easter Driver Reviver and TAC Pause Stop programs, helping people stay safe on their long weekend road trips and reminding motorists of the dangers of driving tired.
These initiatives aim to reduce fatigue-related road trauma, which increases during peak holiday periods like Easter and school holidays, when traffic volume is higher and journeys are longer.
Tired drivers contribute to 16-20 percent of fatal crashes on Victorian roads each year, while accounting for approximately 25 percent of road trauma injuries at The Alfred and Royal Melbourne hospitals.
Research by Monash University and the TAC shows drivers who get fewer than five hours’ sleep are four times more likely to crash.
The Easter school holidays come as 60 people have lost their lives on Victorian roads so far this year.
For more information on TAC Pause Stop program and VICSES Driver Reviver rest stop locations, and tips on how to avoid driving tired, visit www.tac.vic.gov.au/pausestop
Victoria Police’s Operation Nexus commences at 12 am on Thursday, April 2 and concludes at 11.59 pm on Monday, April 6 2026.
For more information and tips for staying safe on the roads this long weekend, visit the Road Safety page on the Victoria Police website.