THERE was little rest for many police highway patrol officers over the festive season.
Victoria Police’s 24-day Operation Roadwise blitz over the Christmas and new year period nabbed 39 drink drivers in across the Mornington Peninsula amid a total of 1045 detected driving offences in the region.
A total of 59 drivers found to be under the influence of illicit drugs while driving.
Police said the operation aimed to “take dangerous, impaired and irresponsible drivers off our roads”.
The operation from 15 December-7 January targeted motorists drink driving, speeding and driving while unlicensed.
There were 33 disqualified and 39 unlicensed drivers caught in the dragnet on the peninsula and 141 vehicles were found to be unregistered.
Fifteen cars were impounded and 20 people were fined for using a mobile phone while driving.
Police advised there were 225 offences across the neighbouring Frankston region over the same period. They said no drivers were caught drug driving in Frankston.
A high 141 vehicles were found to be unregistered and 365 drivers received tickets for speeding offences on the peninsula compared to 29 in Frankston.
Last year, 237 people lost their lives on the state’s roads, with the main factors being speeding and impaired driving caused by alcohol, drugs and fatigue.
Roads Minister Luke Donnellan said the state government would spend more than $1 billion on safer roads as part of the Towards Zero road safety strategy.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 16 January 2018
