By JESSE GRAHAM
UPDATE: Tuesday, 2 February
POLICE had a busy Australia Day weekend in the Yarra Valley, catching more than 100 speeding drivers during the annual Operation Amity.
From Friday 22 January through to Tuesday 26 January, police flooded the roads across the state as part of Operation Amity, which targets bad driver behaviours over the Australia Day long weekend.
In the Yarra Ranges, nine people were caught drink driving, while another nine were caught driving with illicit drugs in their system.
Though the statistics see two less drink drivers caught than in 2015, it shows a marked rise in drug drivers being charged – no-one was caught driving under the influence of drugs last year.
Yarra Ranges Highway Patrol Sergeant Simon Coverley said this was because police had only recently been trained in roadside drug testing, and so weren’t able to test for it last year.
“It will be interesting to see what the result will be next year, now they know we can do it,” he said.
Describing the number of drug drivers picked up over the weekend as “alarming” Sgt Coverley said the most common drug people tested positive to was ice (crystal methamphetamine).
His message to drivers? Just don’t risk it.
“People have to realise that drugs stay in your system for a while,” he said.
“Though people may not feel like they’re affected by a drug anymore, it affects your ability, it slows your reaction time and your ability to concentrate,” he said.
Across the state, more than 290 drivers were caught over the blood alcohol limit, while 240 were caught driving under the influence of drugs.
Road Policing Superintendent Deb Robertson said more people were caught drink driving than usual, which was a “great concern” for police.
“We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – if you plan to drink, don’t drive,” Supt Robertson said.
“We put the call out to people last week to look out for their mates, but these drivers are showing blatant disregard for not only their own lives, but the lives of those around them.”
In the Yarra Ranges alone, 106 people were caught speeding, while six drivers were caught while disqualified – nine were caught driving without a licence.
Only one car was impounded, but 47 unregistered vehicles were detected.
Four drivers were spotted using mobile phones while driving, while five people were caught travelling without their seatbelt.
Sgt Coverley said a good outcome of the weekend was that there were no fatalities or serious injuries recorded in the Yarra Ranges.
“That’s the desired outcome – we’re not out there to book motorists, we’re out there to make sure people don’t become a victim of road trauma,” he said.
In neighbouring Cardinia, two drivers were caught drink driving and four were caught under the influence of drugs; 100 were caught speeding, four were caught driving while disqualified and six were caught driving without a licence.
Supt Robertson said the state-wide figures – which included 2683 speeding offences and 995 unregistered vehicles – were “unacceptable”, and it was up to drivers to improve their attitudes to road safety.
“Each individual driver must be responsible for their behaviour on the roads,” she said.
Sgt Coverley said that friends and family should also look after each other, and not let someone drive who may be drunk or under the influence of drugs.
“You’d be devastated if you let your friend or family member drive home, and they were affected by alcohol, and they were killed, or killed by someone else,” he said.
“That’s something you can’t take back.”
As of Friday 29 January, no fatalities had been recorded for the Yarra Ranges, with one recorded in Cardinia.
