It will be an Easter unlike any other for many Wimmera residents, but police are not among them.
The annual road safety operation for the long weekend, Operation Nexus, began at midnight on Thursday and will last until midnight on Monday April 13.
The region saw a horror Good Friday in 2019, with a fatality in Armstrong and a four car collision in Dobie.
Ararat Acting Senior Sergeant Shaun Allen said police did not want to see a repeat of that day.
"Hopefully it was a one off for us," he said. "It was a bad Easter."
This year Acting Senior Sergeant Allen said Northern Grampians Highway Patrol would be targeting the "fatal five": speed, impaired driving, distraction, fatigue and seatbelts.
"We're still doing breath and drug tests," he said. "Don't think you're going to get away with that. We've just changed our processes around doing them (in response to COVID-19)."
Acting Senior Sergeant Allen said those changes include the way police clean their equipment, but they won't affect how the tests are administered to drivers.
"If we do drug or alcohol test, it's no different to normal (for the driver)," he said.
Sergeant Dale McIvor, officer in charge of Horsham Highway Patrol, said police expected road traffic to be significantly reduced over the long weekend compared to previous years.
"We are also authorised to enforce the rulings of the Chief Health Officer with regards to self-isolation," he said. "If we identify an offence we will take action."
Under the Stage 3 restrictions, which Victoria entered into on March 30, people can be fined $1652 for being outside without a good reason.
Sergeant McIvor said the Wimmera was not immune to visitors coming to the region over Easter, despite park closures.
Road Policing Command Assistant Commissioner Libby Murphy said there would be a higher emphasis on speed during the 2020 Easter break given there will be less cars on the road.
"If there is road trauma, there will be a ripple effect to the community as there is with COVID(-19)," she said.
"You have a very great opportunity to prevent road trauma across Easter."
Alexander Darling
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
