Road toll horror

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By Helena Adeloju

Operation Nexus has reached a “horror end” with 12 deaths in just 13 days.
Operation Nexus was a 13-day police focus from Easter through to Anzac Day targeting speed, fatigue, distraction, seatbelt non-compliance and impaired driving.
Three of the 12 deaths which occurred across Victoria hit close to home for Pakenham residents.
Sgt Ken Rich, whose funeral was held on Wednesday 26 April, was killed on Good Friday while riding his bike with his daughter on the Princes Highway.
In a second incident the male driver of an SUV also died on the Princes Freeway in Tynong on Saturday 15 April, when an SUV and a 4WD collided at the Tynong Road intersection.
The third incident on Thursday 20 April saw four-year-old Brax Aidan Kyle tragically killed when he was struck by a 4WD in a medical centre carpark in Berwick.
Road Policing Command Acting Deputy Commissioner Doug Fryer said the number of people killed on the roads during the operation was unacceptable and terribly sad.
“As the operation came to a close, 12 families went to bed mourning the loss of one of their own with their lives changed forever,” he said.
“Road trauma does not discriminate, sadly those killed during the operation range in age from a four-year-old little boy to a 91-year-old man.”
Operation Nexus saw one in 14 drivers tested for drugs return a positive result, while one in 606 drivers were found to be over the limit.
“What is of concern is that over 1400 motorists should not have been on the roads, being picked up by police for disqualified, suspended or unlicensed driving,” Mr Fryer said.
“It is madness the number of people who think they can get away with doing the wrong thing, all the while risking the lives of others.”
Local Nexus statistics from Pakenham police recorded a total of 266 offences. Ninteen of those were for drink driving.
Sergeant Allen Inderwisch said the number of drink drivers was “disappointing”.
“If people are going to drink they need to make alternative arrangements to get home,” he said.