Coming out of the COVID lockdown, police warn of drink driving dangers during the pre-Christmas period

"If you are out celebrating, find an alternative way to get home," detective acting inspector Paul Hutcheson said.

"Drug and drink-affected drivers are the most dangerous drivers on our roads and well over-represented in serious injury and fatal collisions.

"We will do all we can to remove those drivers from our roads."

During the territory's recent COVID lockdown during the Delta pandemic, the detection of drink drivers in the ACT fell to the lowest point since statistics were first made publicly available, with just 33 drivers charged.

That September number was a direct result of the traffic team pivoting its resources to border protection duties. Acting Inspector Hutcheson confirmed that usual road policing duties, including targeted drink driving operations, have now resumed.

"[During COVID] we saw a transfer to people drinking at home which has its own health issues but in relation to drink-driving, it limited the outcomes there," he said.

"We are starting to get back to usual traffic conditions; we are seeing a fair increase in minor collisions and even an increase in serious collisions just because we're getting more people back on the road.

"A lot of people are still in the transition stage [back to work] but as we head into December now with Christmas parties and family catch-ups starting to get organised, that's where we're going to see the potential for drink-driving to increase."

He said that with the party season coming up, people should plan how they are getting home.

"If someone doesn't drink-drive and finds an alternate way home, it has no negative impact on their life," he said.

"If they decide to drive while drink or drug-affected, it can have massive consequences on the community, really dire outcomes."

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He said that if people on the road saw potential dangerous behaviour to call police operations on 131 444.

New offences are being rolled out to expand the current laws making it illegal to ride a bike or personal mobility device on a road under the influence of drugs and alcohol. The roll-out of e-scooters is now extended to Woden and Gungahlin.

Police have just concluded a major targeting operation against "hoon" driving behaviour and ventured out of their jurisdiction into NSW to target a known hotspot for burnouts at the intersection of Mulligans Flat Road and Gundaroo Road.

Working with NSW police, a few weeks ago they set up a camera at the location, then disrupted an event in which up to 100 vehicles had planned to gather at the location.

Similarly, they also received advice that students at a Belconnen school were planning to do burnouts in the carpark to mark the end of their school year, so police turned up and became a highly visible deterrent, with only two traffic infringement notices for seatbelts issued.

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