Victoria Police will target high-risk areas by launching one of the nation's biggest road blitzes
November 26, 2010
Victoria Police will target the state’s 15 high-risk areas for alcohol-related road trauma by launching one of the nation’s biggest road blitzes.
Called Operation RAID, police will breath test hundreds of thousands of people as part of the nation-wide operation over the next two weeks.
Together with the State Highway Patrol and Operations Response Unit they will target Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat, Dandenong, Wyndham, Hume, Mooney Valley, Brimbank, Yarra Ranges, Monash, Boroondara, Port Phillip, Glen Eira, Casey and Frankston.
Deputy Commissioner for Road Policing Ken Lay says police will be throwing everything they have at detecting drink and drug drivers.
“We have seen far too much trauma on our roads this year and now the warm weather and festive season is upon us- traditionally one of the most dangerous times on our roads,” Lay says.
“It’s a time for celebrating and with that comes drinking.
“One of the biggest dangers on our roads continues to be alcohol. This year, about one quarter of drivers killed on our roads had a blood alcohol level above 0.05. People need to understand that drinking and driving kills.”
He says the police will not only be in Victoria but across the country targeting drivers from November 26 to December 12.
“Police will be on the highways, on the side roads and you can bet the back roads throughout the day and throughout the night, alcohol and drug testing drivers and targeting dangerous driver behaviour.”
In 2009, of all drivers killed in fatal accidents, 15 percent tested positive to having illicit substances in their systems, he adds.
As part of last year’s Operation RAID, 1616 drink drivers and 28 drug drivers were caught.