If you choose to drive whilst under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you will be caught – that’s the message from police across four jurisdictions with the launch of Operation RAID in Canberra today.

Operation RAID is Australia’s biggest traffic operation, bringing together police from Victoria, New South Wales, ACT and South Australia in a unified attempt to Remove All Impaired Drivers (RAID) from the roads.

This year the operation runs from Friday, November 23 through to Saturday, December 15.

Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Bob Hastings said the theme of this year’s operation is ‘nowhere to hide’.

“The slogan sums up the focused approach by police in detecting people who are impaired by alcohol or drugs and yet try and flaunt the law and endanger other road users by getting behind the wheel," Mr Hastings said.

“Operation RAID combines the efforts of hundreds of traffic police across four states and territories, so it won’t matter where you’re from or where you’re going to, you will be caught if you choose to break the law.

“Police won't say when and where, but we will be there, on those lonely country roads, at the borders, and in the cities and towns, to detect and apprehend those offenders.”

At specific times during the three-week operation, police will combine their efforts for border ‘lockdowns’, in which all drivers and motorcycle riders travelling across state and territory borders will be subject to random breath tests.

In Victoria, drivers may also be randomly tested for drugs.

A number of other operations designed to target drink and drug driving will also be carried out across the state to coincide with Operation RAID.

During Operation RAID in 2006, 932 people were charged with drink driving.

Mr Hastings said the operation was perfectly timed in the lead up to the busy holiday period.

“In the lead up to Christmas there is a traditionally a lot of movement between the states, particularly with people travelling by road to holiday destinations,” he said.

“It is also traditionally a period of high alcohol consumption as people celebrate the festive season or simply take advantage of warmer weather for social occasions.

“Operation RAID is seen as a vital tool by police in all states and territories as a means of focusing the motoring public on safer driving practices and specifically to curb dangerous drink-driving.

“A highly visible police presence acts as a deterrent to any motorists who are thinking of taking the risk of driving whilst impaired, as well as removing drivers who are on the roads and already presenting an unacceptable risk to other road users.

“By removing alcohol and drug affected drivers from our roads, overall community safety is improved and the potential for serious or fatal accidents is greatly reduced.

“It would be great to reach the end of this operation and for police across all jurisdictions to have recorded a low number of positive breath tests because drivers took the time to listen to the message now.”

Alcohol is one of the highest contributing factors to the incidence of vehicle collisions leading to serious injury or death and as a driver’s blood alcohol level rises, so does the risk of being involved in a crash.

When affected by alcohol, drivers are more likely to speed and also less likely to wear a seatbelt, both of which can have an enormous impact on the seriousness of any collision they may have.

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.

Mr Hastings said the simplest way to avoid being caught was not to consume alcohol or take drugs before driving.

“Simply by planning ahead, people can avoid being in a situation where they might be tempted to get behind the wheel after a few drinks.

“If you do intend to drink, organise a designated driver, have someone pick you up, or catch a taxi or public transport.

“Drivers who do break the law can expect to face severe financial penalties as well as the loss of their licence – and no one wants to pay fines when they don’t have to right before Christmas.

“However this pale into insignificance if you seriously injure or kill someone while you are drink-driving and the consequences of these actions will have a significant and adverse impact on the rest of your life.

“It’s just not worth the risk and remember, there is nowhere to hide during Operation RAID.”