Victoria Police has issued a zero-tolerance warning as new analysis reveals December is the worst month for drink driving on our roads.
Over the past three years, a total 2591 drink driving detections were recorded in December.
This is 20 per cent higher than November when 2154 motorists were caught over the limit in the three years analysed.
December also posted the highest number of collisions where the driver was over the blood alcohol limit, with 321 recorded for the month across the three-year period.
It is 18 per cent higher compared with November, which had 272 collisions where the driver was over the limit during the three-year period.
Victoria Police is warning it will this month have an increased focus on alcohol and drug testing to address the concerning behaviour.
Motorists should expect to be tested anywhere, any time.
A major night-time road policing operation on the Monash Freeway only last Friday and Saturday nabbed 57 drink drivers, with the enforcement effort catching several impaired drivers out between 3am-5am.
Over the last three Decembers, police have conducted close to a million breath tests.
There were 912,055 preliminary breath tests and a further 3332 evidentiary breath tests conducted.
Victoria Police’s new analysis also suggests some drivers are prepared to risk getting behind the wheel after a few drinks.
The figures show in December last year detections of drivers with a blood alcohol concentration between 0.050 and 0.099 rose 6 per cent compared with the previous month.
It’s believed this is likely due to drivers miscalculating their alcohol intake.
Police are urging motorists to separate their drinking and driving behaviour by planning ahead, arranging a designated driver or using alternative transport.
The penalties are significant for drivers caught over the legal limit.
First-time offenders with a blood alcohol concentration between 0.05 and 0.07 will be fined $595 and have their licence immediately suspended for three months.
The penalties are even harsher for high-range and repeat offenders as well as those aged under 26 or who shouldn’t have any alcohol in their system at all.
Penalties include heftier fines, longer licence suspensions, alcohol interlocks, attendance at court and even jail time for the most serious offences.
Victoria Police’s drink driving focus will continue into January with a significant statewide road policing operation set to kick off next week.
