Ballarat police: everyday speeding and distraction, not just crime, kills
Driving just 5kmh over the limit doubles crash risk. Ordinary drivers cause many fatal collisions, say Ballarat police.
Ballarat highway patrol Senior Sergeant Neville Leishman says everyday mistakes by ordinary drivers cause fatal and serious crashes in the region. Criminal offenders are not the only problem.
Speeding just 5kmh over the limit doubles collision risk, he told a recent community forum. Mobile phone use is another major hazard.
He told the story of a driver who got a $700 fine. That driver now stores the phone in the back seat.
Seven people have died on Ballarat roads in 2026, four of them pedestrians. Two pedestrian deaths occurred within days of each other this month.
One was on the Midland Highway and the other on Remembrance Drive. Leishman said drivers must take responsibility.
They must adjust their speed to match road conditions, whether wet, potholed, or clear.
- 5kmh over limit doubles crash risk
- Speed impact
- 7 on Ballarat roads, 4 pedestrians
- Deaths in 2026
- $700 for mobile use while driving
- Phone fine
Why it mattersIf ordinary drivers going slightly over the limit or checking their phones cause most crashes, then the risk affects everyone on the road. It is not just people taking big risks.
AustraliaBallarat residents are dying in collisions caused by drivers who are simply inattentive or slightly speeding; the police message is that everyone's daily driving choices matter.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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