By JESSE GRAHAM
POLICE have labelled driver behaviour over the Melbourne Cup Day weekend as ‘unacceptable’, slamming results that saw hundreds of people booked in the Yarra Ranges.
Victoria Police released a statement on Wednesday 4 November, in the aftermath of Operation Furlong, which ran from 30 October to midnight on Cup Day.
In the Yarra Ranges, 429 offences were handed out to drivers, with more than half of these, some 284 offences, for speeding alone.
Police carried out breath testing and roadside drug testing over the weekend, with nine drivers testing positive for illegal drugs in their system and four drivers caught over the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) level.
Speaking about the state-wide results, where about 314 people tested positive to drugs and 292 people were found to be over the BAC level, Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Doug Fryer said the results were “a real worry to us”.
“This behaviour is unacceptable,” he said.
“Pair the effects of these substances with the fact that we detected nearly 3000 speeding offences, nearly 400 mobile phone offences and more than 300 seat belt offences and we have a dangerous mix on our hands.”
Asst Commissioner Fryer said drivers needed to separate drugs and driving, and that police would “ramp up” roadside drug testing.
“At best, those caught drug driving will lose their licence and receive a substantial fine, and maybe lose their job if they can’t drive – this is the best they hope for,” he said.
“The alternative is killing themselves or someone else while under the influence of drugs.
“If you plan to drink or use drugs, simply plan not to drive.”
Over the long weekend, four cars were impounded in the Yarra Ranges, while 31 unregistered vehicles, 10 disqualified drivers and 13 unlicensed drivers were detected by police.
Only one driver was caught using their mobile phone while driving, while three people were caught travelling without seatbelts.
In neighbouring Cardinia, 68 drivers were caught speeding, while four tested positive to illegal drugs and three were caught over the legal BAC limit.
One driver was caught disobeying traffic signals, while 11 unlicensed and five disqualified drivers were caught by police – but no offences were recorded for drivers using mobile phones.
Victoria Police will soon begin their annual Summer Stay campaign, with a number of operations targeting dangerous driver behaviour between November and January.
