Blitz gets results

By Bridget Cook
CASEY police have kicked off their summer roads crackdown and have already caught a number of impaired drivers in less than a week.
On Friday last week, police launched the Summer Stay road enforcement campaign, kicking off with Operation RAID (Remove All Impaired Drivers) – the first of three operations to be run throughout the campaign.
Operation RAID is a state-wide operation which has a focus on alcohol and drug affected drivers which will run until Sunday 11 December.
Casey Highway Patrol Acting Senior Sergeant Scott Roberts said in the first five days of the operation, police breath tested about 1000 motorists.
“From that, we have caught five drink drivers,” he said.
Acting Sen Sgt Roberts said police had detected 75 other offences including people driving while disqualified, driving unregistered vehicles, not wearing seatbelts and using mobile phones while behind the wheel.
He said it seemed the vast majority of drivers were getting the message.
“We can’t be happy with anyone being on the road under the influence, but it does seem as if the message is getting through,” he said.
“I still urge drivers to take it easy when they are going out to parties or getting on the road to go on holidays.
“If your phone rings pull over, if you need to drive don’t drink too much and if you need to be somewhere, allow enough time so you don’t find yourself speeding.”
Acting Sen Sgt Roberts said he was still amazed at the state of some people who chose to get behind the wheel, particularly the case of a 26-year-old Endeavour Hills man who was picked up this month.
On Saturday 12 November at 3.50pm, police pulled over the man on Hallam Road, Hallam South.
Acting Sen Sgt Roberts said the man was found with no pants or shirt and was frothing at the mouth.
“We later put two and two together and realised that he had bounced off a parked car about 1km earlier up the road,” he said.
“Police cars pulled him over after they pulled up behind him at traffic lights and saw he had the windscreen wipers going on full on a perfectly sunny day.
“He was scratching his head, waving his arms around, literally spinning in his seat.
“We couldn’t even speak to him, he was unable to communicate.
“There was no evidence of alcohol in his system, and police suspect it was the drug GHB.
“He was off his face, God knows what damage he could have done if police didn’t pick him up.”
Acting Sen Sgt Roberts said he urged drivers to have consideration for others on the road and not be so selfish.
“This goes to show that there are still fools out there who will get behind the wheel in that kind of state and think it’s perfectly fine,” he said.
“My biggest message to those drivers is that their actions are selfish and to have some empathy for other road users.”
The Summer Stay road enforcement campaign runs through to 8 January, with Operation Aegis XI and Operation Crossroads to be held following the completion of Operation RAID.