Police are warning motorists to reduce their horsepower during the Melbourne Cup long weekend – or face the consequences, with nearly one in three road fatalities this year a result of speeding.
Victoria Police launches Operation Furlong on Friday.
A six-day statewide road policing operation, motorists can expect to see police highly visible and enforcing across the state to reduce road trauma.
Last year’s operation saw nearly 3000 motorists pulled over for going too fast, with 79 per cent of drivers caught speeding between 10km/h and 25km/h over the speed limit.
Speeding has accounted for 29 per cent of fatalities so far in 2026*.
By reducing speed to under the posted limit, the thousands of Victorians enjoying the good weather and long weekend can get home safely.
Police across the state will be on the lookout for a range of offences including impaired driving, fatigue, failure to wear seatbelts and illegal mobile phone use.
They will also reinforce positive driving behaviours.
There will be a significant focus on major roads heading to areas in regional Victoria, with drivers advised not overtake or travel next to turning trucks or tractors as the harvest season continues in the country.
Motorists should expect to be tested anywhere, any time for alcohol and drugs, with significant penalties in place for those caught driving while impaired.
Last month, police detected more than 6500 traffic offences during the four-day Operation Scoreboard enforcement period over the AFL Grand Final long weekend, including 2918 speeding offences, 246 drink driving offences, 248 mobile phone offences and 127 drug driving offences.
Police are urging those heading to events this weekend to plan ahead and use public transport or rideshare services.
Victorians travelling to regional areas should allow plenty of extra travel time, stick to the speed limit, avoid distractions behind the wheel and take plenty of breaks to prevent fatigue.
Operation Furlong commences at 12:01am on Friday 30 October and concludes at 11:59pm on Wednesday 4 November.
For more information and tips for staying safe on the roads, visit the Road Safety page on the Victoria Police website.
Quotes attributable to Acting Road Policing Assistant Commissioner, Peta Barrett:
“Every life lost on the roads is preventable and we are doing all we can to reduce road trauma, which is why we have statewide operations such as ‘Furlong’.
“This is a targeted operation during a high-risk period and at a high-risk time.
“As we head into another long weekend, we’re pleading with all motorists to remain alert and cautious behind the wheel, especially on longer journeys and when travelling on rural roads.
“During Operation Furlong you can expect to see police highly visible across the state’s roads – we’ll be on the lookout for those who choose to speed, or drive distracted and we’ll also be conducting widespread drug and alcohol testing.
“Our message to motorists this weekend is simple; kill your speed before you kill someone. Stay alive on our roads.”
*’Speeding’ refers to both excessive and inappropriate in this instance. Data correct as of 11 Oct 2026 [The data is provided based on information available at the time of extraction and is subject to accuracy and completeness limitations.]
