Fourteen drivers received $440 wake-up calls last Thursday morning after being caught using mobile phones during a police operation at Laverton.
Hobsons Bay highway patrol stationed plain clothes and uniform members at a hot spot for mobile phone use, where cars leave Railway Avenue to get on the freeway for Melbourne.
Sergeant Jason Van Doren was in plain clothes standing by the kerb just after a pedestrian crossing. The “spotter” peered into passing cars, ready to alert officers parked around the corner to any offenders.
His division had identified two major problems at the hot spot – vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, being hit by cars and driver distraction offences.
“They’re interlinked in that drivers get distracted … and they’re not seeing pedestrians cross the road, not seeing other things happen in front of them,” Sergeant Van Doren said.
During an hour and a half, police detected more than 30 offences, including 14 drivers using a mobile phone. They will receive four demerit points as well as a hefty fine.
“You wouldn’t encourage someone to drive along down the road and close their eyes for two or three seconds,” Sergeant Van Doren said. “Generally, that’s what people are doing when they’re using a mobile phone.
“They’re taking their eyes off the road, they’re fully engrossed in what’s happening to a phone.”
Sergeant Van Doren later observed a suspicious vehicle parking outside a nearby supermarket so checked its registration. It revealed the car was unregistered and had false plates.
The 49-year-old driver was also found to not be displaying his P-plates. He was drug-tested and returned a positive preliminary reading to methamphetamine. He copped a $443 penalty and three-month suspension of his licence.
