Police are promising a major crackdown on drug and drink drivers travelling to and from music festivals this summer.
State Highway Patrol and the Road Policing Drug and Alcohol Section will deploy to music festivals across the state in the coming months, working alongside local police on roads around events.
It comes as drink and drug driving detections peak at this time of year.
Drug driving detections are typically highest in November while December sees the highest number of drink drivers caught.
Between 2022 and 2024, there were 4,456 drug drivers and 4,235 drink drivers detected in November and December, with one in three caught in regional Victoria.
Music festivals across the state including Wild Horses, to be held this weekend in Carapooee East, will be a focus, with drug and alcohol testing vehicles to be deployed for widespread roadside testing.
Other events including Strawberry Fields in Tocumwal and A3 Music Festival at Lardner Park, both later in November, and Folk Rhythm of Life Festival in Eldorado, Spilt Milk in Ballarat, and Beyond the Valley at Barunah Plains in Hesse, all in December, will also have a significant road policing presence.
Earlier this month, police conducted 85 preliminary breath tests and a further 85 roadside drug tests at the conclusion of Interstellar, a music festival held in Tallarook, with one driver returning a positive oral fluid test for drugs.
Police are urging festival patrons to plan ahead to avoid risking driving while impaired, including arranging a designated driver or using alternative transport options, rather than opting to drive at the conclusion of the event.
Fatigue is also a major concern, with many of the festivals taking place in regional Victoria and requiring long distance travel.
Police are warning attendees that lack of sleep when travelling home from a festival, especially when impaired by alcohol or drugs, is a recipe for disaster behind the wheel.
The penalties for drug driving are significant, with a first-time offender facing a $611 penalty, six-month licence suspension and requirement to complete a drug driver program within three-months or face licence cancellation.
Drink drivers also face hefty penalties. First time offenders who are fully licensed and over 26 years of age caught with a blood alcohol limit between 0.05 and 0.07 receiving a $611 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 or drug driving offences and those caught over 0.07 or above.
The consequences include larger fines, longer licence suspensions, alcohol interlocks, attendance at court and even jail time for the most serious offences.
Victoria Police conducts 150,000 roadside drug tests and 3 million preliminary breath tests annually.
Quotes attributable to Road Policing Command Assistant Commissioner, Glenn Weir:
"With drink and drug driving detections peaking during November and December, we will having a major focus on detecting impaired drivers during this period.
"Those attending music festivals over the summer months should expect to be tested at the roadside for alcohol and drugs - anywhere, anytime.
"Far too often, police hear from motorists that they miscalculated their alcohol intake or weren't aware how long drugs would remain in their system before they got behind the wheel.
"We need everyone to completely separate these behaviours - alcohol, drugs and driving don't mix.
"If you're attending music festivals, please plan ahead and don't risk driving while impaired - arrange a designated driver or utilise alternative transport".
