VICTORIA'S top traffic cop has told police to start fining more motorists for low-level speeding offences.
Road Policing Command Assistant Commissioner Robert Hill said it was time to make travelling only a couple of kilometres above the speed limit as socially unacceptable as drink driving.
He said more traffic operations were planned for this year than last year and speed was the main focus.
"I expect there to be an increase number of low-level speeding infringements issued by our members in the future until the attitude is changed on our roads," Mr Hill told the Herald Sun.
"What we have said to our members is to focus on speed enforcement. The speed limits that are set at the maximum speed you can travel at, having regard to the road conditions.
"If we can reduce our mean speeds across the road network we will save lives, and this is all about saving lives.
"Whether you're 5km/h or 15km/h over, if you speed, you can expect to be stopped by police."
Mr Hill said the strong stance on low-level speeding was being taken because 15 deaths and 300 serious injuries could be prevented each year if drivers cut their average speed by just 1km/h.
He warned motorists to stop setting their own "de facto" speed limits, especially when setting cruise control.
"The evidence is very clear; speed is the absolute killer on our roads," Mr Hill said.
"The culture has shifted in respect of drink driving, it's now socially unacceptable for people to get behind the wheel of a motor car and drive while affected by alcohol, but the same cannot be said for speeding.
"Across our community, people don't appreciate that low-level speeds can be just as dangerous as high-level speeding."
Drivers who exceed speed limit by less than 10km/h are fined $180 and cop one demerit point, while speeding over the limit between 10-15km/h will cost $289 and three demerit points.
During the past five years, 14 people have died and 352 people suffered serious injury during the Australia Day weekend.
Police will run the year's first major traffic operation to coincide with the public holiday break, with high focus on Melbourne, Geelong, Baw Baw, Benalla, Ballarat and the Mornington Peninsula.
