Crime Stoppers Victoria and Victoria Police are calling on community members to share footage of high-risk driving in their new ‘See It. Share It’ campaign.
The initiative uses disidentified footage of dangerous driving behaviour and encourages Victorians to submit their own footage to Crime Stoppers for demonstration.
More than 1200 lives have been lost on Victorian roads over the past five years.
Some 295 people died on Victorian roads last year, the highest amount in 15 years, while 242 have died this year, according to data from the Transport Accident Commission.
With more people installing dashcams or carrying recording devices, Crime Stoppers Victoria chief executive Stella Smith said every Victorian could play a role in road safety.
“Each one of us has the power to make a difference. By reporting what you see, you can help prevent tragic incidents before they occur,” Ms Smith said.
“Even one life lost on our roads is one too many.”
Community members can share footage anonymously through Crime Stoppers’ online platform, with reports able to be completed on mobile and desktop devices.
Publicly sharing submitted footage remains a rare and significant step for Crime Stoppers, and is not taken lightly, Ms Smith said.
“We believe showing real examples of high-risk driving allows the community to see the type of footage that can assist in investigations,” she said.
Victoria Police road policing assistant commissioner Glenn Weir said high-risk drivers would be held accountable.
“If you engage in risk-taking behaviours on our roads, even if the police don’t always see you, be aware that other people may report you,” he said.
“The community is watching, and it is only a matter of time before you face the consequences.”
Penalties for high-risk driving in Victoria include loss of licence, vehicle impounds, significant fines and imprisonment.
For dangerous driving, penalties include fines of up to $47,520, having your vehicle impounded for 30 days, or up to two years’ imprisonment.
“Police can use footage submitted by the community to investigate dangerous driving, and rest assured — we can, and frequently do, detect and prosecute offending drivers,” Mr Weir said.
Motorists, motorcyclists, pedestrians and cyclists are all urged to submit footage of dangerous driving.
Filming while driving is not encouraged, but footage captured on a dashcam or recorded safely can be uploaded to crimestoppersvic.com.au
Always call 000 in emergencies or life-threatening situations.