IT IS the responsibility of every one of us to help avoid road deaths.

Not just the police. All of us. It’s a community responsibility we can’t avoid.

The roads of Cardinia Shire have seen three road deaths since this year.

Three souls lost in Cardinia that were involved in catastrophic, traumatic incidents which, on each occasion, were totally preventable.

The remaining loved ones now bear the brunt of on-going grief from their loss, which I dare say will last for the rest of their lives. They will never forget.

It is all unnecessary. Now, we have to ensure no other person loses their life from now until the end of the year and beyond.

We all, as drivers, need to realise our own vulnerability, that of our passengers, plus have great respect for the other road users around us.

Ultimately, when a vehicle crashes, it is due primarily to the driver losing control.

Even the past great driver Peter Brock ultimately made an error with his driving so that goes to show how much more careful we all need to be. He paid a price - his life. His loved ones too, were left behind with grief.

I use an acronym which is appropriately named SPEED - Speeding People Encourage Early Destruction.

Speeding is a significant factor for road collisions. All drivers need to slow down - nothing is worth the consequence of speed.

I have been a frontline policeman for 31 years. In that time I have attended far too many road trauma deaths.

From time to time my traffic officers are abused for issuing infringements to some parent’s children for their misbehaviour on our roads.

Then after attending a serious road collision I am often confronted with distraught parents telling me that if only we had caught him or her before the crash then their child wouldn’t be dead. It’s an oxymoron.

Back in 1978, as a new policeman, I took an oath of office and swore before Almighty God, that I would carry out all of my duties without fear, favour, affection, ill-will or malice until I am discharged.

I embrace my duty towards community safety seriously. I will not stray from that commitment. Nor will my staff or staff at the Pakenham Police Station.

Officers at the Traffic Management Unit are tenacious in their enforcement for a definitive reason - to prevent road trauma, facilitate the good flow of traffic and minimise injuries.

We are certainly not issuing fines for government revenue raising. Those feeble comments come from a minority who are ignorant and have no concept of the ramifications and consequences that anti-social road behaviour can cause to themselves and other human beings.

The revenue raising complaint is false by fact. Irresponsible and ignorant drivers reap what they sow by their own actions. Abide by the road rules, no fine.

While the road toll continues to climb, the police will increase their actions to take the irresponsible driver off the road for a safer community. To attend serious collisions, which have been numerous, where a young person is so badly mutilated or crushed beyond recognition, because of the speed, it is soul-wrenching.

Being a parent myself, I think this is someone’s son or daughter, who has just lost their life through either inattention, speeding, drink or drug driving or recklessness.