COPS BUST 57 DRUG-DRIVERS LEAVING FALLS FEST:

57 motorists busted near festival

A RECORD 57 drugged drivers have been nabbed leaving Lorne’s Falls Festival in what police say should be a wake-up call.

The shock figures come as the State Government prepares to beef-up drug-driving penalties with licence suspensions set to double and repeat offenders to lose their vehicles.

“Fifty-seven offenders were processed for drug-driving outside the Falls Festival at Lorne on New Year’s Day between 6am and 4pm,” Geelong Highway Patrol Sergeant Darren Murphy said.

“Three offenders were also caught drink-driving.

“It’s the highest number of drug-drivers we’ve ever caught there.”

Operation Roadwise, a separate blitz across the festive season, also nabbed 22 drink- drivers, 19 drug-drivers and 74 speedsters across the Greater Geelong area.

Officers also busted 17 unlicensed drivers, 35 unregistered vehicles, eight people using mobile phones illegally and 10 not wearing seatbelts.

In November, the region’s retiring road policing boss revealed more than half of the crashes in the Geelong police area involved impaired drivers with one in six drivers drug tested coming back with positive readings.

Senior Sergeant Shane Coles slammed loopholes in the system that he said did not sufficiently punish ice, cannabis and prescription-abusing motorists. He also criticised the fine for drug driving — at $476 — which is less than the $800 public cost of each test.

Laws will be introduced later this year allowing police to seize the cars of repeat drink and drug-drivers.

About a third of people killed on Victoria’s roads have drugs, alcohol — or both — in their system. Victoria Police figures show 2453 of the 8941 drug-drivers detected last year were recidivist offenders.

Tougher sanctions will be introduced from April 30, which includes first time drugdrivers immediately losing their licence for six months — double the current mandatory penalty.

“Fifty-seven offenders were processed for drugdriving outside the Falls Festival. It’s the highest number of drug-drivers we’ve ever caught there.” SERGEANT DARREN MURPHY