SWIGGING a coldie at the wheel will be prohibited in Victoria as the state government takes steps to close a loophole that lets drivers drink while driving.

Drinking while driving will be punishable by a $244 fine or imposition of two penalty units under the planned changes.

Drinking while driving will be punishable by a $244 fine or imposition of two penalty units.

The government will also move to make it an offence for a licensed passenger to drink while supervising a learner driver.

The government says it wants the laws passed before Christmas in a bid to improve road safety. It says it has moved quickly on coming to government to close the loophole after 11 years of inaction by Labor when it was in power.

But Labor upper house MP Shaun Leane described the amendments as a ''bit highbrow'', using Twitter to describe them as: ''Nanny Teds Summer Urgent bill this week at #springst - Abolish the tradies traveller after busting a gut all day in the sun''.

He later admitted on Fairfax Radio that as a tradesman, there were a couple of times he bought a stubbie and drank it on the way home.

''If that makes me a villain then I'd say there are tens of thousands of people that would be labelled villains out there,'' he said.