Drink drivers tempted to avoiding police breath testing units will find it much, much harder thansk to a widespread police operation over the next few weeks.

Criminals caught sneaking down backstreets are caught every year but with the implementation of Operation RAID, it will be near impossible.

This year the operation runs from Friday, November 23 through to Saturday, December 15 and it is not limited to any one state.

Bringing together police forces in Victoria, New South Wales, ACT and South Australia, the operation sees the police themselves getting sneaky, hiding out in unlikely places to nab unsuspecting drink drivers.

Police, according to Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Bob Hastings, will be located, "on those lonely country roads, at the borders, and in the cities and towns, to detect and apprehend those offenders."

Tis the season for a stakeout

Police report that last year, over 320,000 random breath tests were conducted across Australia during the operation. That's the same number of people as could fill the MCG three times.

In some instances, towns will have every entry and exit road monitored by police.

During the operation last year, police caught nearly 1800 drivers for drink driving, including 42 for being under the influence of drugs.

As Christmas parties take place and the holiday season nears, drivers' good judgement can slide and see more risks taken.

Illicit drugs can affect your driving ability by;

• causing impaired coordination,
• muscle weakness,
• impaired reduction time,
• poor vision, and
• an inability to judge distance and speed.

More info
Victorian Police statement on Operation RAID

 

Related links

Officer charged with drink driving (ABC via Yahoo!7 News)

Hundreds of drink-drivers busted in NSW (AAP via Yahoo!7 News)

Drunk driver charged after fatal smash (ABC via Yahoo!7 News)