A GLENROWAN P-plater was travelling at such high speed yesterday that any mistake would have killed him, according to police.
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Leading Sen-Constable Terry Smith intercepted the 20-year-old driver at 177km/h on the Winton-Glenrowan Road at Winton North about 7.50am.
The man had been travelling in a 100km/h zone and has been charged with conduct endangering life.
Sen-Constable Smith said the charge of conduct endangering life was relatively rare for traffic matters but was a serious charge.
“The argument is that the behaviour is so excessive that it’s foreseeable that it could harm others if you chose to continue that pattern of behaviour,” he said.
“It leaves absolutely no margin for error.
“If anything goes wrong, that young man is going to die.
“The only thing he can hit if the car leaves the road is gum trees.”
The driver told Sen-Constable Smith he had been running late for work at Benalla.
His Holden Commodore was impounded for 30 days and it will cost about $1700 to get it back.
On top of that he’s still got to front up to court.
“There’s excessive speed, coupled with the fact that the road is in poor condition and the fact the driver is inexperienced,” he said.
“He’ll be in court on a criminal charge.”
The man is also facing charges of driving at a dangerous speed and exceeding the speed limit by more than 45km/h.
Sen-Constable Smith said police would be enforcing the rules “vigorously” over the dangerous Christmas period.
The maximum penalty for those found guilty of conduct endangering life is 10 years jail.