Police will be out in force this long weekend and are set to saturate holiday hot-spots, regional highways and city roads targeting impaired, speeding and distracted drivers.
Minister for police Lisa Neville joined acting assistant commissioner Neville Taylor at Albert Park to launch Operation Scoreboard, a four-day road policing blitz across Victoria.
“Police will be out in force this Grand Final long weekend — targeting drivers who are speeding, distracted and drug and alcohol impaired to reduce road trauma,” Ms Neville said.
“Our police officers across the state work tirelessly to keep people safe on our roads but we want motorists to make smart choices when they get behind the wheel as they travel across the state.”
Police will test thousands of motorists for drugs and alcohol over the long weekend with footy fans reminded to plan ahead and celebrate safely.
There will be a visible police presence right across the state, with a focus on Melbourne, Geelong and the Surf Coast, Casey and Bass Coast.
All road users will be targeted, including heavy vehicles, light trucks, cars, motorcycles, cyclists and pedestrians.
While police numbers will be boosted over this period, motorists are reminded of their responsibility to keep themselves and other road users safe by ensuring they are not fatigued, distracted, speeding or affected by drugs or alcohol, and that their car is roadworthy.
Alcohol and drug buses will be operating across the state, while Highway Patrol members will also be carrying out drug testing after the Victorian Government provided ongoing funding for police to deliver 150,000 roadside drug tests every year.
During last year’s Grand Final long weekend operation, police detected more than 7000 traffic offences and 777 criminal offences, including 2253 speeding offences and 261 drink drivers, while one in ten drivers tested returned a positive drug test.
The Labor Government has invested a record $1.1 billion in funding for the Towards Zero road safety strategy to deliver safer roads and protect Victorian motorists.
“One death on our roads is one too many – that’s why we’re boosting police numbers to record levels and investing millions in improving roads across the state,” minister for road safety Luke Donnellan.
As part of the record $2 billion police investment, the Labor Government is also expanding Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology across the highway patrol fleet.
Operation Scoreboard will run until at 11.59pm on Sunday 30 September.
