Operation Compass will kick off statewide today as the state reaches the 80 per cent vaccination milestone, which will see COVID-19 travel restrictions between metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria lifted.

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Police are anticipating an influx of travel to regional areas and travel hotspots as people hit the roads to catch-up with loved ones.

Bendigo Highway Patrol Acting Sergeant Peter Dyer warned drivers the combination of increased traffic, long hours behind the wheel and a deterioration in driving skills could be a recipe for disaster.

"Our focus will be on the highways - clearly there will be an increase in traffic starting from Friday and it's a perfect storm really," he said.

The operation will run over the Melbourne Cup 'long weekend' and again the following weekend in an effort to target driver behaviour that could lead to serious injuries or death, with police to target speed, distraction, fatigue and impaired driving.

Eleven lives were lost on Victorian roads last year when lockdown lifted and police are determined to avoid a repeat.

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There have already been 190 lives lost on Victorian roads in 2021, which is trending well above the same time last year (178).

Following the recent easing of restrictions in regional Victoria, there were at least four fatal collisions in five days and several injury collisions where drink driving was suspected.

Police are urging Victorians enjoying end of lockdown celebrations to think twice before drinking and getting behind the wheel.

"Our focus won't really change, we will be looking for people that are speeding, drink-driving, people not wearing seatbelts, drug-driving - they are the main things we will be looking for," Acting Sergeant Dyer said.

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"There may be a little bit of inexperience out there and some people may be rusty with their driving.

"The general message is for people to slow down and take their time and obviously drive to the conditions."

Operation Compass will run from today until 11:59pm on Tuesday, November 2 and again the following weekend, from 12:01am Friday, November 5 until 11:59pm on Sunday, November 7.

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