More than 6600 offences were detected by police throughout Victoria during Operation Furlong over the Melbourne Cup unofficial long weekend.

The statewide road policing operation saw police targeting high-risk driving behaviour over five days from Friday, October 31 to Tuesday, November 4, with a particular focus on speeding and impaired drivers.

One in every 465 drivers who were breath tested were caught over the legal alcohol limit, with 234 drink-driving offences detected from 108,910 preliminary breath tests.

A further 135 drug driving offences were detected from 3079 roadside drug tests — a strike rate of one in every 22 drivers testing positive to drugs.

The majority of offences detected were for speeding, with 79 per cent of drivers caught speeding between 10km/h and 25km/h over the speed limit.

Police also caught 459 unauthorised drivers, using automatic number plate recognition technology to detect disqualified, suspended and unlicensed drivers illegally using the roads.

There were two lives lost on Victorian roads on Sunday, with a male on a mobility scooter hit by a car in Malvern East, and a male motorcyclist who died in a collision with a car in Roxburgh Park.

Police are urging motorists to remain vigilant behind the wheel throughout November, with the number of lives lost reaching 246 —12 higher than the same time last year.

November recorded the highest number of lives lost in 2024, with 35 fatalities in 30 days.

Road Policing Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir said time and time again, police continued to detect too many people disregarding the road rules and taking unnecessary risks on the roads.

“The number of people detected for impaired driving over the last five days is particularly concerning — these are people who have made a choice to drive knowing they have alcohol or drugs in their system,” he said.

“Don’t try and guess if you’re right to drive or under the limit — just don’t do it.

“We need people to separate driving from alcohol and drugs.

“Similarly, so many drivers continue to think that if they speed, they won’t be detected, and yet we have caught 2900 speeding drivers over five days.

“The message is simple — if you don’t speed, you won’t be fined.

“We make no apologies for penalising people who take ridiculous risks on our roads.”

The total 6617 offences detected included:

Benalla Ensign Google News Panels

Monday, 24th January 2028

Your Afternoon Headlines

Select Stories

Publish Panels