THERE was little rest for many police highway patrol officers over the festive season.
Victoria Police’s 24-day Operation Roadwise blitz over the Christmas and new year period nabbed 21 drink drivers in the Frankston area amid a total of 225 detected driving offences.
No Frankston area drivers were found to be drug-affected in the roadside blitz.
Police said the operation aimed to “take dangerous, impaired and irresponsible drivers off our roads”.
The operation from 15 December-7 January targeted motorists drink driving, speeding and driving while unlicensed.
There were 26 disqualified and 36 unlicensed drivers caught in the dragnet in Frankston and 46 vehicles were unregistered.
Eight cars were impounded and nine people were fined for using a mobile phone while driving.
Police advised there were 1045 offences across the Mornington Peninsula region over the same period including a total of 59 drivers found to be under the influence of illicit drugs while driving.
Drink drivers continue to flout the law on the peninsula with 39 caught by cops.
A high 141 vehicles were found to be unregistered and 365 drivers received tickets for speeding offences compared to 29 in Frankston.
Last year, 237 people lost their lives on the state’s roads, with the main factors being speeding and impaired driving caused by alcohol, drugs and fatigue.
Roads Minister Luke Donnellan said the state government would spend more than $1 billion on safer roads as part of the Towards Zero road safety strategy.
