Victoria Police have revealed more than 5,000 offences were detected on the state’s roads over the public holiday weekend for the AFL Grand Final.
Cops were out in force from 12.01am on Thursday until 11.59pm on Sunday as part of the Operation Scoreboard initiative targeting high-risk driving behaviour.
Of the total 5,483 offences detected, 2,341 were for speeding, 489 were for unregistered vehicles and 352 were for disqualified/suspended and unlicensed drivers.
There were 282 offences for disobey signs/signals, 251 for mobile phone use, 111 for vehicle impoundments and 95 for seatbelt offences.
Police also carried out 112,750 preliminary breath tests, detecting 213 drink driving offences, which equated to one in 529 drivers.
Thirty people were caught with alcohol in their system despite their licence requiring them to be driving with a blood alcohol limit of 0.00.
Cops further conducted 2,593 roadside drug tests, with 130 offences detected.
“It was busy across the state’s roads as many Victorians made the most of the long weekend, enjoying the AFL Grand Final celebrations and the fantastic spring weather,” Road Policing Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir said.
“This also meant a busy weekend for Victoria Police, with our members detecting over 5,000 offences over four days during Operation Scoreboard.
“Police focused heavily on drink and drug drivers, and while pleasingly the majority of those tested were doing the right thing, we still detected 343 drink and drug driving offences over the weekend – this is unacceptable.”
Four lives were lost over the long weekend, taking the state’s road toll to 216 – a seven-year high.
“While many celebrated across the weekend, it was a tragic period on the roads with four lives lost in separate collisions,” Mr Weir said.
“With the number of lives lost now at a seven-year high, it is paramount that we all do everything we can to stop more trauma on our roads this year. Now is not the time to be complacent.”
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