POLICE have promised to conduct more roadside alcohol testing over the Melbourne Cup long weekend and are urging motorists to completely separate their drinking and driving behaviour.

Operation Furlong, which begun 12.01am Friday and runs until 11.59pm Tuesday, will see police conducting widespread roadside alcohol and drug testing across the state.

Hamilton Highway Patrol unit commander, sergeant Darren Smart, said the operation is targeting drug and drink affected drivers.

“Police will be highly visible and enforcing across the state to reduce road trauma and positively influence road user behaviour,” he said.

“Locally, all possible police units will be active on our roads – residents of the Southern Grampians Shire can expect to be breath and drug tested as we target impaired driving.

“Police will also be concentrating on drivers who fail to comply with speed limits within townships and on our rural roads.

“I implore all drivers play their part in reducing the instances of road trauma by doing the right thing on our roads.”

Last year during the five-day operation, police across Victoria detected 224 drink driving offences from 66,172 preliminary breath tests – a concerningly high strike rate of one in every 295 drivers caught over the limit.

Police are anticipating approximately 120,000 preliminary breath tests will be conducted during this year’s operation, with volume testing impacted last year by strict Covid protocols that have now been scaled back.

Victorians celebrating the Melbourne Cup and attending events across the state are being warned there will be zero tolerance for drink and drug driving, and with increased testing capacity, motorists should expect to be tested this weekend.

Those intending to enjoy a few drinks should completely avoid driving by planning ahead, arranging a designated driver or utilising alternative transport options.

Road Policing Assistant Commissioner, Glenn Weir, said with increased testing capacity, police are anticipating conducting almost double the amount of roadside alcohol tests this year during Operation Furlong.

“This means that for those who make a poor decision to drink and drive, it’s even more likely you’ll be caught and face significant and costly consequences,” he said.

“Drinking and driving simply don’t mix – we need everyone to completely separate the behaviour.

“If you’re planning to have a drink this Cup weekend, then don’t drive. Plan ahead, leave the car at home, arrange a designated driver, or utilise public transport or rideshare services.

“Police will have zero tolerance for drink and drug driving – these behaviours continue to contribute significantly to serious injury and fatal collisions, and we’re doing everything we can to reduce further trauma on our roads this year.”

Police are reminding motorists that the penalties for drink driving are significant, with a first offence for a fully licensed motorist over 26 years of age caught with a blood alcohol limit between 0.05 and 0.07 receiving a $577 fine and immediate three-month licence suspension.

The penalties increase substantially for those under 26 years of age, those required to have a zero blood or breath alcohol level, those caught for second or subsequent drink driving offences, and those caught over 0.07 or above.

The warning from police comes as the number of lives lost on Victorian roads has reached 237, edging closer to last year’s 241 total lives lost for 2022.

It’s also the highest number of lives lost since 2016, where 240 fatalities had occurred to date.

Those travelling across regional Victoria this weekend should also expect to see police highly visible and enforcing on major arterials and freeways across the state.

For more information and tips for staying safe on the roads this long weekend, visit the Road Safety page on the Victoria Police website.