Victoria Police is urging motorists to take extra care on the roads over the King's Birthday long weekend as the number of lives lost surges to a 16-year high.
Operation Regal, launching on Friday, will see police ramp up enforcement across the state in an effort to drive down road trauma.
It follows a terrible period on our roads which saw 36 lives lost during May - the worst May for fatalities on record in over 20 years, since 2004.
There have now been 135 lives lost on Victorian roads in 2025, up 13 per cent on the same time last year.
The last time 135 or more lives lost had been recorded at this point of the year was in 2008, with 137.
Police have been particularly concerned about the increase in fatalities involving vulnerable road users, with eight motorcycle fatalities during May and a further six pedestrian deaths.
Excessive or inappropriate speed, rider inexperience and unauthorised riding have been identified as key contributing factors in motorcycle trauma.
Driver inattention and failing to give way are both major factors in collisions involving vehicles and vulnerable road users.
With winter officially getting underway this week, police are urging drivers to take extra care and pay attention behind the wheel, particularly with reduced daylight hours and inclement weather impacting visibility and conditions.
Speeding and distracted motorists will be a key focus for police over the King's Birthday long weekend, which has been identified as a high-risk period on Victoria's roads.
Police will target major arterials and highways leading to the state's holiday hotspots, including the alpine areas with the state's snow season expected to kick off from this weekend.
Those heading to the snow are being urged to monitor conditions prior to travelling and ensure they're carrying and using appropriate wheel chains as legally required.
With several events and festivals scheduled across the weekend, police are also reminding motorists to avoid driving while impaired, with widespread drug and alcohol testing to be conducted anywhere, anytime.
During last year's Operation Regal enforcement period, police issued more than 7000 infringements.
Operation Regal starts at 00:01 hours on Friday 6 June and ends at 23:59 hours on Monday 9 June 2025.
For more information and tips for staying safe on the roads visit the Road Safety page on the Victoria Police website.
Quotes attributable to Road Policing Command Acting Assistant Commissioner, David Byrt:
"Driving during winter presents additional challenges, such as navigating slippery roads and poor visibility, and there is less room for error.
"Whether you're travelling across the state this weekend or heading to the alpine regions, please take extra care on the roads and be sure to drive to the conditions.
"We're approaching the halfway point of the year and the amount of trauma we've experienced is extremely concerning.
"These road trauma numbers of course represent actual people. People who have been killed, or whose lives are changed forever, simply from travelling on our roads.
"We're appealing to everyone to make road safety their number one priority, every time they get behind the wheel or are out using our roads, to eliminate this unnecessary and avoidable trauma."
"We'll be highly visible and enforcing across the state's roads this long weekend, cracking down on any dangerous driving behaviour that puts other road users at risk."
