IT was a busy weekend on the roads with Hamilton Police Highway Patrol working alongside Uniform Police from Hamilton, Branxholme, and Penshurst to complete Operation Arid, a state-wide road safety blitz.

As part of the blitz, police were conducting random breath tests and random drug tests from 12.01am on Friday until 11.59pm on Monday, to keep road users safe over the Labour Day long weekend.

Hamilton Police Highway Patrol sergeant, Darren Smart said the operation was a success locally with only one drink driver caught on the roads.

“Hamilton Highway Patrol worked together with Hamilton General Duties members and together we conducted testing for alcohol, and highway patrol tested quite a number of drivers for drug driving,” he said.

“We caught no drug drivers for the whole weekend in our local area.

“I believe the general members got one drink driver over the night shift but that was it.

“We did catch quite a few speeding drivers but majority of those were not from the local area, so they were visitors travelling though.”

Sgt Smart said given the long weekend, which commonly results in more drivers on the road, he was pleased with the results of the operation.

“All in all, considering all the testing we did we were quite happy with the results,” he said.

“We will always be out and about trying to catch those drivers doing the wrong things. 

“Considering we’re now almost back to normal with COVID restrictions, the fact it was the long weekend, the Port Fairy Folk Festival was on, and it was beautiful weather, we’re quite pleased with the results.”

Operation Arid was introduced as part of an increased road safety effort in March, after it was identified as the highest-risk month for road collisions in Victoria.

Data showed collisions in both rural Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne peaked in March over the last five years – attributed to speed, impaired driving, fatigue, and seatbelt non-compliance.

According to the Transport Accident Commission (TAC), during March last year there were 14 fatal car crashes in regional Victoria, however, none of these occurred in the Southern Grampians.