Police caught 55 drink and drug drivers during a major road policing operation in Laverton over the weekend.
Operation Leviathan involved police conducting alcohol and drug tests on the Princes Freeway on the nights of Friday, May 16 and and Saturday, May 17.
Police conducted 3454 breath tests on motorists during the operation, with 52 caught exceeding the alcohol limit.
Ten of those were learner and probationary drivers, who are required to have no alcohol in their system whatsoever.
A further 16 drivers were caught with a blood alcohol level between 0.05 and 0.069, with police indicating many of these drivers thought they’d be under the limit and okay to get behind the wheel.
The highest detection during the operation was a driver who allegedly blew 0.185 – more than three times the legal limit.
Three drivers also tested positive for drugs, with police conducting 48 roadside drug tests during the operation.
Westgate Highway Patrol Sergeant Jamie Jordan said police were disappointed by the actions and attitudes of those drivers caught during Operation Leviathan.
“Those drivers who were detected over the limit were more concerned about the inconvenience of having their keys taken off them, rather than the fact they have committed a serious driving offence.
“We acknowledge these operations can cause delays to people’s travel, but these results continue to justify our actions.
“We make no apologies for detecting and removing impaired drivers from our roads, and you can expect to see us out conducting these large-scale freeway operations anywhere, anytime.”
