BALD tyres, faulty windscreen wipers and other vehicle defects have been targeted by traffic police.

Motorists have been urged to make sure their cars are roadworthy or face the consequences.

Cardinia Traffic Management Unit Sergeant Peter Garton said Operation Highlight, which started a fortnight ago, would see patrol cars out in force to check vehicles as the weather turns wintry.

Police are targeting safety-related problems such as unaligned headlights and other defects that could prove dangerous to motorists in wetter, gloomier conditions.

TMU police stopped traffic on the Pakenham-Gembrook Road at Pakenham Upper last Friday and have been at a number of other locations.

TMU Senior Constable Col Davies said police had issued 58 defect notices at the half-way point of the operation, with hundreds of vehicles checked.

Lights were the most common faults, with several motorists also issued with warnings, he said.

Sgt Garton said Operation Highlight was an annual focus on safety. Police urged motorists to ensure their vehicles were in good working condition.

“Sometimes people can think their tyres look okay when they are actually quite bald and bald tyres can be very dangerous at this time of year,” Sgt Garton said.

“We’re looking at windscreen wipers, tyres and lights.”