One of Victoria's road policing leaders has lashed out at drug driving as 'not acceptable' on the long weekend, after 20 drivers were found drug-affected near Golden Plains Music Festival in Meredith.
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Victoria Police's state-wide Operation Arid took place over the long weekend, netting 513 drunk or drug drivers, with just over 30 processed in the Western Region.
Road Policing Command Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane said each year over the long weekend, issue of drug driving is becoming more prevalent, including in the Ballarat region.
“A prime example of this was over the weekend near a music festival in Meredith,” Assistant Commissioner Leane said.
“In a four-hour window the state highway patrol conducted 56 tests, and 20 of these came back positive for methamphetamine or MDMA. This is just not acceptable.”
This is in contrast to Moorabool Police praising the behaviour of the 13,000 attendees at the Golden Plains Music Festival on Tuesday, noting there were no arrests or trespasses, or reported assaults or drug overdoses.
Ballarat Highway Patrol Senior Sergeant Ben Young said in the Western Region over the long weekend, there were 132 people who were processed for speeding offences, and a further 20 for driving unregistered vehicles.
Senior Sergeant Young noted "there were two collisions in which people were seriously injured" across the weekend, and said "road safety is every road user's responsibility".
"It has been a horror start to the year for particularly the local area with nine deaths since Christmas Eve having devastating consequences and far reaching impacts," he said.
