Drink and drug-driving offences remain a concern after Operation Chrome in Southern Region

Forty-four drink and drug-driving offences were detected during a road safety enforcement campaign conducted across the Southern Region.

Operation Chrome was enforced across Western, Southern and Northern regions between Friday (16 August 2019) and Sunday (18 August 2019), targeting poor driving behaviour on rural roads, including speeding, drink and drug-driving, not wearing seatbelts, using a mobile phone behind the wheel and fatigue.

Southern Region Commander Assistant Commissioner Joe Cassar said the operation utilised police from all districts within the Western region, working alongside officers from the Traffic & Highway Patrol Command.

Police targeted poor driving behaviours on rural roads – including speeding, drink and drug-driving, not wearing seatbelts, using a mobile phone behind the wheel and fatigue.

“People are definitely getting the message in relation to the dangers of drink driving, but one positive test is one too many,” Assistant Commissioner Joe Cassar said.

“We will not hesitate to stop a vehicle if we think the driver’s behaviour places everyone in the vehicle at risk of being in a crash.

“The focus on rural roads will not end because Operation Chrome has. We are making state-wide preparations to be on the road in numbers during the October long weekend and school holidays.”

During the Southern Region phase of Operation Chrome police conducted 8016 random breath tests and charged 34 people with drink driving.

Police conducted 196 random drug tests, with 10 people returning a positive indication for the presence of a prohibited drug. Eight seatbelt offences were also detected.

About 5.40pm on Friday (16 August 2019), officers attached to The Hume Police District stopped a Holden Commodore on Kinghorne Street, Goulburn for the purpose of a random drug test. A subsequent vehicle search was undertaken from which police allegedly located an amount of cannabis, the drug known as ‘Viagra’ and a glass smoking pipe.

A 24-year-old man was arrested and charged with possess prohibited drug, possess prescribed restricted substance and possession of equipment for administering prohibited drugs. He was given a future court attendance notice to appear at Goulburn Local Court on Wednesday 11 September 2019.

About 11.55pm Saturday (17 August 2019), officers attached to The Hume Police District stopped a P-Plater travelling south on the Hume Highway at Goulburn after he was detecting driving 167km/ph in 100km/ph zone.

The male driver, aged 22, has been suspended from driving for six months and his car registration has been cancelled for three months. He was also given a traffic infringement notice and fined $2480.

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