Police were out in force yesterday on Princes Drive at Morwell, undertaking a vehicle safety inspection course conducted by the Centre for Road Policing Investigation from Melbourne.
Twenty-eight defect notices were issued to motorists for a range of issues including bald tyres, cracked windscreens, broken headlights and illegal modifications.
An additional 14 penalty notices were issued for licence offences including unlicensed driving and driving an unregistered vehicle.
Two L-platers were issued with infringement notices during the operation, one for driving with an expired licence and failure to display an L plate, the other for driving without a licensed driver.
A 20 year-old Morwell man was charged with driving a vehicle with stolen number plates.
Latrobe Highway Patrol Sergeant Mick Williams said the two-day operation, including a day of theory-based learning, was a success with police learning how to issue appropriate defect notices.
“People need to be aware that it’s their responsibility to check the roadworthiness of the vehicle they’re driving and to make sure it’s safe to be used on the roads,” Sgt Williams said.
Sixteen police officers from across the Latrobe Valley took part in the course.