Police are pleading for drivers not to take risks on the road after a spike in road trauma over the past 12 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The plea comes following a four-car pile up on the Calder Freeway at Macedon last Wednesday, which police said had the potential to result in multiple fatalities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A driver had stopped to assist an injured kangaroo spotted in the centre median strip of the freeway about 11.15am, but stopped in the fast lane leaving the car there stationary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A second vehicle stopped in the emergency lane to assist, with three adults leaving the vehicle and a seven-year-old boy on board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A third vehicle avoided the car stopped in the fast lane by moving into the left lane, but a truck behind that vehicle collided with the car in the fast lane, bounced into the third car and then struck the car in the emergency lane.
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The boy in the stationary vehicle received minor injuries and was treated in hospital and released later that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A male driver also received minor injuries and was treated at the scene. No one else was injured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Acting Sergeant Dwayne Sharam of the Macedon Ranges Highway Patrol said the incident had the potential to be a very serious collision resulting in multiple fatalities.
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“I’d encourage all drivers where possible to remain in their vehicles and not walk around on the freeway,” Sgt Sharam said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We want to remind drivers that these collisions are not inevitable, they’re preventable.
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“It’s everyone’s responsibility to do their part to improve road safety, whether it be road users or police enforcing road rules.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In another serious accident last Friday, two cars collided head-on at speed on Burke and Wills Track at Glenhope about 10.45am.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both drivers were airlifted to hospital in a serious condition, one was a 61-year-old woman from Kyneton and the other a 35-year-old woman from Canberra.
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A 29-year-old Woodend man also sustained life-threatening injuries when his motorcycle collided with a pole in High Street Woodend on Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He was airlifted to the Alfred Hospital.
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Sgt Sharam said police had identified several issues of concern in recent months, including motorcyclists taking risks and drivers speeding or driving impaired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We will be actively enforcing the road rules and engaging with the local community to target safety issues in our region,” he said.
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“It’s about active enforcement as an educational tool and intelligence-based policing to identify the areas that are giving us the most trouble.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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