It has been a busy weekend on Ballarat’s roads, with a number of drivers nabbed for flouting the law.
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Ballarat’s Highway Patrol spent the weekend patrolling the increased traffic flowing out of Daylesford’s ChillOut Festival, Begonia Festival and Golden Plains Festival.
The annual events held in the Ballarat region attracted thousands of people from across Victoria.
Ballarat Highway Patrol Senior Sergeant Pat Cleary issued a stern warning to drivers on Monday to be responsible on the roads as the statewide Operation Arid draws to a close.
“If you decide to speed or drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol you will be caught,” he said.
Senior Sergeant Pat Cleary said extra police were expected to remain on highways, back roads and city roads until midnight on Monday evening.
But he said police had already caught a number of drivers on the roads for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and speeding.
“We have already issued multiple penalties and infringement warrants to drivers who have broken the law for offences including speeding and driving under the influence,” he said.
“While most people were well behaved over the weekend there continues to be a minority of road users who flout the law and in doing so put the lives of others at risk.”
He also said police attended a number of car crashes at the weekend, including a serious single car crash at Remembrance Drive at Cardigan shortly after 5pm on Sunday afternoon.
CFA Rescue units worked to free the male driver,46, for more than an hour, after his car collided with a tree near Whites Road as it drove towards Ballarat.
The man was flown to the Royal Melbourne Hospital is in a stable condition.
Two children aged, 11 and 7, who were also in the car at the time, were flown to the Royal Children’s Hospital.
Both children remain in a serious but stable condition.
Police are still investigating the cause of the crash.
Victoria Police released a statement on Monday which said a number of witnesses had already been interviewed in relation to the incident.
Police also attended a two car crash in Ballarat North, on Saturday afternoon just after 1.15pm.
Police said a white sedan and a silver hatchback collided on the corner of Landsborough and Havelock street. Nobody was injured in the crash.
Melissa Cunningham
City of Ballarat and Social Affairs Reporter
City of Ballarat and Social Affairs Reporter
