A major police road safety operation monitoring western Victorian roads over the Queen's birthday long weekend is set to begin on Friday.
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Operation Regal will run across four days until Monday midnight.
Ballarat Highway Patrol Leading Senior Constable Chris Barker said the region can expect a highly visible police presence.
"Targeting fatigue, alcohol, drugs covering - especially from the highway - covering all the way through till the early hours of the morning each day," he said.
After one of the lowest years on record for lives lost on Victorian roads in 2021, this year's figures, documented by the Transport Accident Commission (TAC), show a significant increase in the road toll - and a grim rise in regional deaths.
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According to the TAC, there has been a 39 per cent increase in lives lost on the road in regional Victoria, with 64 deaths up from 46 deaths this time last year.
TAC chief executive Joe Calafiore said "we can't sit by and accept" the figures.
"Day after day at the TAC we see the devastating impact of road trauma on our clients, their families, and loved ones of people who have lost their lives - and it could happen to any of us," Mr Calafiore said.
Despite restrictions limiting travel around the state in 2021, Victoria Police detected almost 5000 traffic infringements over the Queen's Birthday long weekend last year.
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Leading Senior Constable Barker said it was important people adjusted to the wintry driving conditions and urged drivers to slow down.
"If you look at the Western Freeway, especially going through say, Gordon, where you've got low level mist and fog, people need to adjust their driving to certain conditions," he said.
"Even if the posted speed limit might say 110, it doesn't mean you do 110 - the same across 100 zones, 80 zones, 60 zones and so forth."
He also warned visitors to the region to take care on unfamiliar roads.
"If you're used to city driving, depending on the road you're travelling on, they might be more narrow so you have to allow for vehicles oncoming, you've got wildlife, you've got soft edge roads," he said.
"Again, it's all part of adjusting and driving to the conditions."
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