That's the message from the Border's police officers and maritime safety authorities this Australia Day.

From Tuesday morning to Wednesday night Victoria Police are running Operation Amity, while on Wednesday NSW Police are launching Operation Australia Day 2022, to keep communities safe as they come together with family and friends.

Wangaratta Highway Patrol acting senior sergeant Sarrah O'Keefe said 17 people had already died on Victorian roads this year, more than four times the figure than during the same period last year.

"A key point to highlight is that one third of our fatalities so far this year in 2022 are aged under 25, our inexperienced drivers are over represented in our road toll," she said.

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"If you're planning to go out to a social function think about how you'll get home safely without driving."

Acting senior sergeant O'Keefe said speed was the number one cause of fatalities and road trauma.

"Slowing down could be the difference between arriving alive and not arriving at all," she said.

Commander of the NSW operation, assistant commissioner Peter Cotter, said police were there to keep individuals safe, not ruin their day or spoil their fun.

"We ask that you follow the directions of police and know your limits when consuming alcohol," he said.

"Look after your mates, have a plan to get home safely, and know that police and emergency services are on hand if you need help.

"Anyone found disrespecting each other with anti-social, dangerous or reckless behaviour, will be detected and dealt with swiftly."

Murray inland maritime senior boating safety officer Tim Peverell encouraged Border residents to wear life jackets, after about 10 per cent of people checked in the region didn't have one during last weekend's water safety blitz.

"Life jackets save lives," he said.

"If you don't have it on, when you go into the water you're very unlikely to be able to put it on afterwards.

Mr Peverell said rivers were unpredictable and required caution.

"It has a lot of sunken logs, a very high flow, particularly at Albury, the river runs at four to six knots, which is nearly 8 kilometres an hour," he said.

"So people aren't aware sometimes that if you do go out and get in trouble, it's much harder to get into the bank than it would be if you were in a more sheltered water way environment."

Last year 16 people died on the water, but 13 weren't wearing a life jacket.

People can be fined $250 for not wearing a life jacket.

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