Copping a bucket

POLICE from the Cardinia Highway Patrol conducted another intensive roadworthy inspection operation on Saturday, 24 July.
The operation, dubbed Operation ‘Bucket’, was conducted in Cockatoo, Upper Pakenham and Pakenham between the hours of 1pm and 9pm on Saturday.
Police checked a total of 190 vehicles over the eight-hour operation, and deemed 72 vehicles unroadworthy.
Examples of unroadworthy vehicles included vehicles with faulty brakes, fractured windscreens, faulty suspension, altered suspension, leaking exhausts, faulty lighting, poor steering and gross unsafe tyres that are showing canvas or cords and may pop at any time.
Eighty-two offences in total were recorded, including three unregistered vehicles and one unlicensed driver.
Sergeant Nigel Atkins from Cardinia Highway Patrol said it was a highly successful operation as it detected a number of consistently unsafe vehicles used on our highways throughout the year.
“Overall, the strike rate of unroadworthy vehicles is one in three,” Sgt Atkins said.
“Conducting the inspection after dark to identify lighting issues such as faulty headlights and rear lamps highlighted a number of concerns.”
He said it was important that drivers remembered to always keep their motor vehicles in a fit, safe and serviceable condition for their own safety and for the safety of their loved ones.
This was the 27th series of this local police operation, which is normally conducted every fortnight throughout the year, and has been running since May, 2008.
To date, approximately 1,000 vehicles, ranging from mopeds to heavy vehicles have been defected from the road in Cardinia.