Drivers overall were hit with fines totalling more than $45,000.

Warrnambool police Senior Sergeant Chris Asenjo said south-west police targeted motorists during more than 650 patrol hours from Thursday to Sunday during Operation Argus, and were "disappointed" with the high number of speeding drivers.

"The weather was quite poor over the weekend, for people not to be driving at a safe speed, and to not even be driving at the legal speed, is disappointing," he said.

Portland police caught a driver on Sunday night travelling at 130km/h on the Henty Highway at Bolwarra.

They said the driver, a Heywood woman, had a blood-alcohol reading of 0.064 and was given a six-month licence suspension and $496 fine, on top of a three-month licence suspension for speeding and $454 fine.

Senior Sergeant Asenjo said police did more than 1000 breath tests, and four drivers were found exceeding lawful blood alcohol readings. Ten motorists were found driving under the influence of illicit drugs or refused to undergo a drug test.

He said the number of drug-driving offences was high despite officers' limited access to drug testing kits.

"We have just been given some extra testing kits so in coming weeks you see a more randomised screening of drivers for illicit drugs," Senior Sergeant Asenjo said.

The operation coincided with football and netball finals in the south-west and aimed to put brakes on the 43 per cent increase in this year's road toll.

"We had a very difficult start to the year with a number of people killed in the south-west, and we're starting to pare that back," Senior Sergeant Asenjo said.

He said people also received infringements for driving without licences, not wearing a seat belt and driving while using a mobile phone.

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