THERE will be an extra focus placed on road policing efforts and driver behavior state-wide this Australia Day as Victoria Police's Operation Amity kicks off.
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Running from Tuesday morning until midnight Wednesday, police anticipate significant road activity as Victorians travel to regional areas, social gatherings and the beach.
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"We do expect there will be a high level of traffic as the school holidays are still around," Bendigo Police Highway Patrol Senior Sergeant Ian Brooks said.
"Many people will try and take their opportunity to have one last run or getaway for the summer."
Victoria Police's fleet of Alcohol and Drug Testing vehicles will also be intercepting motorists to detect alcohol and drugs amid a concerning spike in drink driving activity in recent months.
"We will be targeting people around social functions, looking at people who may be out at gatherings in the afternoon on Wednesday or Tuesday night," Senior Sergeant Brooks said.
"We will be quite active around some of the less used roads but we will also be having units running on all the main roads."
Already 19 people have died on Victoria's roads this year, more than three times the figure during the same period in 2021.
Unauthorised driving was a factor in around 10 per cent of fatal collisions last year, with police more determined than ever to stop the senseless loss of life.
More than 1700 motorists who were disqualified, suspended, unlicensed or driving unregistered vehicles were detected during Victoria Police's recent Christmas operation in just 10 days.
"We have already exceeded the January road toll this year," Senior Sergeant Brooks said.
"We are starting to become quite concerned around driving behaviour and habits and it doesn't seem to be getting any better.
"We will have a presence out there to ensure that people's trip away will be conducted safely."
Police across the state will also be using new technology which will allow police to scan the number plates of around 45 million vehicles a year.
The technology will be used to detect unauthorised drivers putting lives at risk on Victoria's roads.
Automatic number plate recognition technology has been fitted to more than 200 Victoria Police highway patrol vehicles, including vehicles in Bendigo.
Since the first Victoria Police vehicle fitted with mobile ANPR hit the roads in February 2019 more than 97 million number plates have been scanned.
As well as increasing police's ability to identify and remove dangerous drivers from the road, the ANPR system includes in-car video - a tool to record audio and visual evidence during roadside intercepts that can be used in court.
Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Road Policing Glenn Weir said police would use all 221 ANPR-fitted highway patrol vehicles as part of Operation Amity, with patrols to focus on high-risk areas.
"We're removing more unauthorised drivers from our roads than ever, these drivers have no right to be on our roads," he said.
"Automatic number plate recognition technology gives us another set of eyes on the roads to stop these drivers in their tracks.
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"We will use the more than 200 highway patrol vehicles fitted with this technology at every opportunity - especially high-risk holiday periods like Australia Day."
With the holiday predicted to be wetter than usual, Senior Sergeant Brooks said it was important to always drive to the conditions.
"With the weather forecast, we do encourage everyone to drive to the conditions in country Victoria and if we storms, high winds and rain, our roads become tough to drive on.
Operation Amity commences at 12:01am on Tuesday 25 January and concludes at 23:59pm on Wednesday 26 January.
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