DRIVING an unregistered vehicle was the most common driving offence in Knox during the Christmas period, figures show.
A total of 393 breaches — including by 85 people driving an unregistered vehicle — were recorded from November 16 to January 6 as part of the Summer Stay road enforcement campaign.
Police also nabbed 39 speeding drivers, 16 disqualified drivers, 27 unlicensed drivers, 12 drink-drivers, six for not wearing a seatbelt, 12 for using a mobile phone and 196 drivers for other traffic offences.
Acting Sergeant Graeme Rust of Yarra Ranges highway patrol said police had noticed increasing numbers of people "who don't want to pay their bills like other people".
He said automatic number plate recognition vehicles were being used more regularly in a number of operations in the eastern suburbs to detect unregistered, unlicensed and disqualified drivers.