Police appalled at high rates of drink and drug drivers on Victoria’s roads
Police are “appalled” after catching hundreds of drink and drug drivers on the road in the weeks before Christmas.
Police & Courts
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Senior police are “appalled” at the behaviour of the hundreds of motorists who were caught drug and drink driving during the first phase of Operation Roadwise.
Victoria Police’s festive road safety campaign has nabbed 190 drunk drivers and another 131 affected by drugs in the first five days of the operation.
Police conducted 72,372 preliminary breath tests with a strike rate of one in every 381 drivers tested over the limit.
Road Policing Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir said there was no excuse for drink driving.
“Despite our continuous warnings, we are appalled at the amount of motorists we’ve
detected drink driving since Operation Roadwise commenced,” he said.
“This just shows that people are making extremely poor choices and opting to get
behind the wheel after having a couple of drinks.’’
A total of 4701 offences were recorded during the five days – offences including 1679 for speeding, another 274 drivers caught for illegal mobile phone use and 106 motorists not wearing a seatbelt.
During the same period, another seven Victorians have lost their lives as 2023’s already high toll continues to rise to the highest in 15 years.
Operation Roadwise ends at 23.59pm on January 1.
Asst. Comm Weir said officers would maintain their high-visible enforcement for the rest of the year and into January.
“Expect to be tested and face the consequences if you’re caught,’’ he said.
“It’s up to all of us now to limit the amount of trauma for the remainder of this year –
we want to ensure everyone makes it home safely to spend Christmas and the New
Year with their loved ones.”
The latest warning comes Aussie Formula One star Oscar Piastri issued a cheeky message to motorists to avoid illegal mobile phone use.
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