POLICE were left “gob-smacked” after four P-plate drivers were yesterday caught at almost 50km/h over the speed limit near Wangaratta.
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The drivers — all males from Wangaratta aged either 18 or 19 — were caught on the Wangaratta-Whitfield Road just north of Moyhu about 2.30pm.
Leading Sen-Constable Ben D’Ornay, of Whitfield, said the first of the convoy was detected driving at 148km/h in a 100km/h zone.
His car was immediately impounded for a month and he will be summonsed to appear in court.
People in a car that had been overtaken by the teens just before they were pulled over, stopped to tell police what they had seen.
“They’d got a fright themselves,” Sen-Constable D’Ornay said.
“To see all four cars driving like that — the driver was shocked.”
Sen-Constable D’Ornay said he, too, could not believe such behaviour.
“There’s been such high publicity in the media that police will be out in force this weekend,” he said.
“It’s traditionally a bad weekend for road stats and, despite all the warnings, you still get four inexperienced male drivers who treat the road like that.”
Sen-Const D’Ornay said the Wangaratta-Whitfield Road was “chockers” at the time, with locals and tourists.
“I was just gob-smacked,” he said.
The other three drivers all admitted to “driving at certain speeds”, he said, and were issued penalty notices.
All four face the possibility of losing their licences.
Two other drivers were caught drink-driving in the Wangaratta area early on Saturday.
They blew 0.18 and 0.14 in random blood alcohol testing.
“It’s just ridiculous,” acting Sgt Michael Maley, of Wangaratta, said.
“They’re not only endangering themselves but others.”