Drink driving blitz

By Russell Bennett
YARRA Ranges police have conducted almost 13,000 preliminary breath tests in just three weeks.
The drink driving blitz came as part of Victoria Police’s statewide Operation RAID (Remove All Impaired Drivers ).
Of the 12,995 breath tests conducted in the hills from 26 November to 12 December, 30 blood alcohol offences were recorded.
“Although that number may seem low, any number is still too high,” said Monbulk Leading Senior Constable Peter Edyvane.
“This day and age, there’s that much publicity around but people still drink and drive.
“We keep saying it, but people need to be so careful.
“They need to keep it to one or two drinks, or better yet, none at all.”
Victoria Police’s Road Policing Superintendent Neville Taylor said he was appalled by the 1480 blood-alcohol offences recorded statewide.
“At the start of this operation, which ran simultaneously in every state and territory in Australia, we said that police would be flooding roads across Victoria. And we did,” Supt Taylor said.
“Police breath-tested almost 400,000 motorists over the past two weeks – and we caught 1500 drink-drivers.
“That’s 1500 people who put not only their own lives at risk, but other innocent road users as well.”
Included in the Operation RAID statistics released last week were 15 unlicensed Yarra Ranges drivers.
Leading Sen Const Edyvane said Monbulk police arrested an un-supervised, 16-year-old learner driver just last week.
“He was under-age, un-licensed, un-supervised and on top of that, we found cannabis in his car,” he said.
“It’s ridiculous, but we get un-licensed drivers all the time.”
Supt Taylor said: “The research is clear – if you drink and drive, the likelihood you will be involved in road trauma is significant”.
“I have a strong message today,” he said.
“This is just the beginning of our Christmas period campaign.
“We are out there, on all roads, at all times of the day and night.
“Just don’t risk it.”