Man trapped in vehicle for hours after Barnawartha car crash

Police believe an 18-year-old driver was stuck in his car for several hours after hitting a power pole on Plunketts Road.

The crash occurred about 2am, but the incident wasn't discovered until several hours later.

The man had to be freed from the car before being flown to hospital in Melbourne with serious injuries.

The North East man had lost control of his vehicle while negotiating a turn in the road.

The vehicle was extensively damaged by the impact.

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"Nearby residents discovered their power was out early in the morning and found the man still in his car," Sergeant Cameron Roberts said.

"We're looking into all of the circumstances of the crash.

"The main thing is he's alive, but his injuries are serious."

Police are running an operation until Tuesday night, which Sergeant Roberts said was aimed at reducing road trauma.

A large number of officers are involved in Operation Compass.

"People know what the right thing is to do, they've just got to do it," he said.

"People also need to have plenty of patience.

"This is not about seeing how many tickets we can write or breath tests we can do, it's about ensuring people are safe on the road.

"The consequences can be hurting yourself or killing yourself, or somebody else, and that's what we're trying to stop."

Anyone with information about the crashes can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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